


Rogue Crew

by firedragonx



Category: Bleach, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga, Kingdom Hearts, Naruto, Soul Eater
Genre: AU, Action, Action/Adventure, Canon-Typical Violence, Comedy, Crossover, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-06
Updated: 2018-09-13
Packaged: 2018-09-28 15:45:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 43,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10129886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firedragonx/pseuds/firedragonx
Summary: Worlds have been disappearing from left and to right, all of sudden, and no one knows why. There be might be some clues why this is happen, in a world where Hollows and Soul Reapers exist. A team which just met is sent to find the answers there, but what they find is a new enemy.





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfiction so don't be afraid to give points on how this can be import on. ^^

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is it my first Fanfiction story! I hope you guy enjoy it. Also if my OC Haelth or any other character starts acting OOC or Mary-sue, tell me and slap me while you at it.

Chapter 1

The Beginning

* * *

_Traverse Town, Night_

The people of Traverse Town were enjoying a nice, quiet, and peaceful night. Nights like this don't happen that often, with the attacks of Heartless and other hostile monsters alike. So nights like these are more than welcome to the people of Traverse Town. Sudden an explosion went off in one of the houses and the people jump at their feet thinking it was an attack. They were going to either run or hide until…

"What the hell Ed?!" shouted a very mad female.

"Well if must know, I was doing some work until you came right in without knocking, again!" replied a young male voice. The people of Traverse Town went back to relax as the two young men and woman yelling at each other. Like most of the in Traverse Town, the young man and woman lost their world to the darkness but somehow find their way here. But unlike most of the people in Traverse Town, they stand their ground against the Heatless and fight the soldiers to defend the people. But they do get into fights with each other but as long as they don't kill each other then it's fine.

"For a ninja, you're not that very quiet, _Sakura_ ," Edward said with a cheeky grin. Edward was a 15-year-old young man with blond hair that was in a braid and has gold eyes. He was a bit short for his age and will verbally attack everybody that said it out loud. He wears a red cloak with a black shirt, pants, and white gloves.

"What was that?!" Sakura replied, angrily. Sakura is a 15-year-old girl with pink hair and green eyes. She wears a red top, black shorts, boots, and gloves. She was known to have a short fuse and being very _violent_ when mad.

They're not a lot of houses in Traverse Town, because many people take up resident after they lost their world to the darkness whatever reason. So the two were pretty much forced to live with each other. The people of Traverse Town learn to put with their arguments. Plus they two do care for each other deep down and are willing to help the townspeople from danger.

"You're _dead_ Edward Elric!"

"Sakura put down that table!"

Now a few people starting to go over to Sakura's and Edward's house to stop the fight before somebody gets hurt.

* * *

_Outside of Traverse Town, Night_

The outside of Traverse Town was nothing but a dark forest all around. There was no other towns, cities, or even roads around. Suddenly, there was a burst of light that came from the sky, and then crash down on the forest surface. At the center of the hole that the light crashed in, lies a boy with pink hair, tall, thin, wearing a long robe, with white cuff and collar; completely unconscious. Then a black liquid came out of the boy's chest and take the form of some kind of _thing,_ it looks like something from a cartoon with an x on its face and big white eyes.

"Crona! Get your ass up! I'm hungry!" The thing yelled at the boy, but the boy still unconscious. Then the weird looking thing starts slapping the boy until he woke up.

"Oww…" The boy moaned as he touched his red cheek.

"Why did you do that Ragnarok?" The boy asked the thing knows as Ragnarok.

Ragnarok grind with the knuckles on Crona's head and shouted, "I woke you up because you were unconscious in the middle of the woods! You idiot! You could have to get us killed if I didn't wake your ass up! Do I get a thank you?!"

"Thank you." Crona apologized, but Ragnarok didn't let him off the hook that easy.

"Thank very much!" Ragnarok growled, grinding his knuckles harder on the boy's skull.

After much apologizing (mostly from Crona) and shouting (mostly from Ragnarok), the two start heading toward Traverse Town (seeing as that was the only town they saw.) Little did they know that yellow eyes were watching them...

* * *

_Unknown, Night_

Trees that have no leaves on them reach out in the night sky which has no stars in them as well. It as it was trying to escape this seemingly lifeless world. In a clearing that was cover in fog an tall big lone figure walking toward the center of the clearing was a skinner and slight shorter figure stood.

"You have called me?" The tall figure asked the other.

"Yes, our intelligence has gathered where the weapon is heading," stated the skinny figure." I want you to bring it here."

The bigger figure bow to the other figure, before walking out of the clearing.

The skinny figure, now alone, looks up to the night sky with one yellow eye that seems to glow in the night.

"It going to be one hell of a travel to get it, but the award will well worth it."

* * *

_Terra, Night_

"So you guys are going to be there?" a younger female asked holding a phone to her ear.

"Of course we're going! Who else is going to cover your back when you explore that old abandoned factory." a male voice said on the other side phone line.

"Come on Scott! I'm a lot stronger then you think I am!" replied the young-sounding a bit annoying with the other actions.

"Whatever Haelth. Just wait for me and Oliver to be there," said Scott as he hangs up the phone.

Haelth lay on her back on her bed, she presses her lips together but then her eyes glimmer with excitement, once she thought about tomorrow. Haelth was at the age of 14; a bit small for her age, skinny, and flat-chested, she has blue eyes and red hair that was blue on the tips. She wears a black t-shirt, blue jeans, and a dusty brown jacket. All in all, she didn't look like a hunter, but she was in school that train kids like her to fight against the monster. Even if Haelth herself didn't want to be a hunter, she'll make the most of it, because it was the law that if beat or killed someone in Heartland then they would be trained to being hunters or soldiers. While she didn't want to become a hunter she did want to see what lies beyond the wall of Heartland and only hunters and soldiers were allow out there.

'This is going to be great!' Haelth thought excitement little did she knows that her life will turn upside-down tomorrow for better or for worse.

**To be continued...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Edit: I took Ichigo and Sora parts are taking out but they will be in this fanfic I swear)
> 
> Edit: 2/21/2017(Just updating writing in this chapter because it was shit. You won't miss anything plot relation stuff, just Crona meet Sakura and Edward later and Riki name is changed to Goro)
> 
> Edit: 1/16/2018 Just fixing grammar issures


	2. Chapter 2: Just For One second

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Forewarning blood and violence in this chapter.

_Terra, Afternoon_

Haelth keeps on glaring at the clock when the teacher wasn't looking. It was 1:55 almost time for school to end, and when Haelth is supposed to meet up with her friends, Oliver and Scoot at the abandoned factory in the outskirt town. Haelth wanted to see what inside the factory, but it was too dangerous to go alone. Monsters creep along outside of the town. Or at least that what the old folks keep on saying. That's why Haelth brought Scoot and Oliver along, so she won't be alone in the factory and she brought weapons just in case.

 _Finally,_ the bell rang, and Haelth quickly grabs her stuff together and ran out of the classroom. She ran out of the school, into the street, and stop by a fence that was around the town, and wait there for her friends. The spring's breeze blew through her short red hair and Haelth adjust her hat.

After a couple of minutes, Oliver appears with his spring styling clothes. Oliver has very pale skin, tall but not very built, white hair, and pink-red eyes **(2)**. He wore styling blue jacket, black shirt, blue pants, and a pink scarf as well.

"Wow Oliver, I thought you would be late." Haelth teased him. Many times Oliver arrives late for their meets because he always wants to look his best when he goes out. Haelth finds it rather silly sometimes, even when they just want to hang out he still wants to look his best. If Haelth has to guess, it was because the sisters and brothers of the _All-Mother_ have spoiled him, and even when he joins the army and going to combat school he still can get away with that.

"Wow Haelth, have a little faith in me with ya?" Oliver replied his eyes sparked in playfully at her. Haelth sticks her tongue out of playfully at him. The two (along with Scott) have been friends since kindergarten and always stick by each other side.

Soon Scott came running toward them. Scott was only a few inches shorter than Oliver but more built than him, his hair is brown and spiky, hard green eyes, and a grumpy looking on his face. He wears a green shirt that has a Mountain Dew logo on it, jeans, and a brown jacket.

"You're late Scott!' Haelth teased him.

Scott's face turned into a scowl as he explained, "I would have been here sooner, but Mr. Apple wanted to me talk to him after class."

"You're not in trouble are you?" Haelth asked to worry about him. Scott was one of the top students in the combat and therefore was bullied a lot because of it.

Oliver's eyes narrow, "It not those Turner twins again are it?" The Turner twins are two sibling bullies that happen to come from very rich and think they can do whatever they want. Haelth, Oliver, and Scott have been subject to their bullying before.

"No, it's about my grades," Scott answered. "He said I'm passing his class and thinking I should lead a squad soon for a mission."

Haelth let out a sigh of relief, "Good, I don't want to deal with those two again."

"Same here," Scott replied grumpy, "Those two bring nothing but trouble."

"So are we going in?" Oliver questioned, as he looks at the old factory. Haelth jump up from her spot and run to the factory.

"Come on, slowpokes! I race you!" She called out to them as she climbs the fence.

"Hey!" Both Oliver and Scott shouted, and chase after her. She laughs at them, life was good when you have friends to hang out with.

* * *

_Terra, Factory, Afternoon_

Dust, decaying metal, and broking glass scatted across the floor of the old factory. Haelth's nose wrinkled at the smell, but she couldn't help but be excellent! She always wanted to see inside of the old factory, because it makes her had a sense of adventure. Because she wasn't hunter yet, she and her friend can't explode out of the kingdom borders. And even then there still monsters that creep around the kingdom, so many older folks don't kid like her and the others to go exploring. This was the closest that she going to get.

"Haelth don't go too far!" Scott warned her as he and Oliver walked through the door. Haelth glared at her to see if they were catching up to her, as she turns to a corner.

"Come on you slowpokes! There are so much to see-" Suddenly an unmovable force knocks Haelth to the ground, and she landed on her butt. Haelth yelped in pain as Oliver and Scott move to where she was.

"Watch where you're going, kid!" A young boy's voice snarled.

When Haelth looks up, she found three pairs of eyes looking down at her. One was a young boy that looks about 17-18 with silver-grey hair and steely eyes that glared at Haelth. One was a girl that looks like the same age as the boy with blue hair and blue eyes, which a worry look on them. A tall man was standing behind them with a bored look on his face; he was muscular but lean, had longed spiky hair, one jade green eye, his right eye was missing and replaced with a long scar. They all have weapon and armor on, making look out of place in this factory but still threatening to say the less.

Haelth backed away from them as Oliver and Scott came around the corner. The boys were taken aback at the appearances of the three strangers. The grey hair boy hissed when he saw Scott and Oliver, " _More_ kids?! Didn't your mothers teach you not to bump into strangers?" Before the Haelth, Scott, Oliver could protest the teenager, he cut them off.

"Well if your parents can't teach you a lesson, perhaps _I_ should." Haelth, Scott, and Oliver froze in disbelief and fear. Was he really going to beat them up, or was he just talking crap?

The blue-hair girl glared at other, and shouted at him, "That's enough Romeo! Let's just focus on the mission and leave the kids alone." She tried to have an indifferent look on her face, but she sends a worried glare at the children. "Besides, they're just kids. They're not that big of a deal."

In any other kind setting, Scott would start telling Romeo to back off, but something about this guy makes Scott feel want to bolt. There was a dangerous air around him like he'll rip people apart for just looking at him wrong.

"You're just being soft on them because they're kids, Jess," Romeo sneered, and glared at her with an annoyed look on his face, "You've _always_ been too soft." He glared at Jess, who back down, but glared right back at him. Out of the corner of her eye, Haelth saw Scott trying to get closer to her.

' _What do I do?'_ Haelth tried to think out a way out of this, ' _If I run to Scott and Oliver, they will catch us. But if we don't…'_ Her thoughts trail off a bit, trying to think of a way out without these stranger knowing.

"I say let we leave this to commander Goro," Romeo turn to the red-hair male who hasn't said anything yet, with sickly eager voice. "Please sir, allow me to show Jess how things are done around here. Teach these kids a lesson. **_One that they remember_.** " Goro's eyes darted to Haelth (who was slowly backing away from Romeo) and looked back to Romeo. After a few moments, Goro answered him, "So be it."

Haelth, Scott, and Oliver all froze in fear when Goro said those words. Jess turned around at Romeo and Goro with disbelief look on her face, "Now there is no need for this!" Romeo ignored her and lunged at Haelth with a dragger. Time seems slow down for Haelth, as she caught the glimmer of the dragger heading towards her and Romeo bloodthirsty grin.

' _I…I have to fight. Maybe I can beat him. Maybe I can…'_ Haelth tried dodged, she really did. But as she sidesteps when Romeo hit the ground and she tried to run past him, Romeo quickly grab Haelth's jacket and pull her right back. Half shun she tried to get up, only to find Romeo stabbed her right shoulder. She felt a warm liquid dripping down her shoulder; never before had Haelth felt this much pain and fear before. Before she could even cry out in pain, Romeo throws her into the air. As Haelth in mid-air Romeo grab again and slash across her face with the dragger, then throw her into a wall. When Haelth blinded by pain and blood for a moment, before hitting the wall causing her ears to ring, then she pinned down by Romeo with one hand holding her neck, causing Haelth to hissed in pain. He then held the bloody dragger up to her face.

"Any last words, weakling?" He spat out the word 'weakling' like it some curse word. Haelth panicked, tried to escape from Romeo's grip, by kicking, biting, and scratching. But Romeo didn't lose his gripped, it just annoyed him, and Haelth was losing air. ' _This is it? This is how…I die?'_ Haelth sadly thought and closed her eyes.

Sudden weight was lift off of Haelth and then she opened her eyes. Scott pushed Romeo off of Haelth, but Romeo's knife ranked across her throat. Blood spattered the floor, but Haelth knows that is deep enough to kill her but if she gets to the hospital in time then her life will be saved. But Romeo knocking her aside with a heavy blow to her head. Haelth's breath comes in ragged as she blacked out.

The last thing she saw was Scott running at Romeo with a rock in hand and her body being carried off.

* * *

_Traverse Town, Hospital, Night_

Sakura sighed, as she sits down on a chair in an empty of the hospital room. This shift was longer than usual. Sakura just wanted to lie down and rest. She found it rather hard to heal people without the used of her chakra. Lucky she has knowledge of how to heal people without the use of her chakra, but it still it was easier for her to heal people with her chakra. She also had problems with the technology in Traverse Town, because of her world lacked technology found in this world. **(3)**

The break room was lively with the other nurses and doctors, so Sakura decides to spend her break in this empty room for peace and quiet. She often wonders where Naruto and others are. She was the only one from her world to arrived here at Traverse Town. Every day she hopes to see less see _someone_ from her world, but there is no sign of them.

Sakura wished she can head off to other worlds to find them, but she has no ship or any way to get off this planet. She hopes that Edward can find a way for them to use their powers again and find the ship so they can to find their friend and families.

Sudden there was a bright flash of light that blinded Sakura for the moment; she jumps to on her feet and covers her face with her arm. Then someone throws something into Sakura's arms, knocking her balance off, and pushing her back into the chair.

" **DON'T LET HER FOLLOW ME**!" A male voice ordered her, in a voice that was full of pain and panic. Sakura caught a sight of something white at the corner of her eye.

"Wait!" Sakura shouted, quickly jump to her feet again to catch up with the guy, while carrying whatever the guy throw at her. But when she turns around in the corner, but the figure was gone. Sakura let off a sigh and look down to see what the figure throw at her.

"Oh my god!" Sakura shouted in surprise, almost dropping the little girl in her arms. The poor girl was bleeding all over, especially around the throat which was cover by a pink scarf. Sakura forgot about the mystery figure and raced to get this girl to the emergency room fast.

**To be continued…  
**

**(1)** \- In this fan-fiction, if certain that people have powers that depend on what kind of power source, if they go into a different world that even simpler to their world source, then they can't use their power.

 **(2)** \- Yes Oliver is albino

 **(3)** \- In the Naruto's world there some use of technology, but it's not as advanced as us.

 **Next time** \- Haelth woke up in a strange new world, and Sakura and Edward try to figure out what's going on.

 

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1)- In this fan-fiction, if certain that people have powers that depend on what kind of power source, if they go into a different world that even simpler to their world source, then they can't use their power.
> 
> (2)- Yes Oliver is albino
> 
> (3)- In the Naruto's world there some use of technology, but it's not as advance as us.
> 
> Next time- Haelth woke up in a strange new world, and Sakura and Edward try to figure out what's going on.


	3. Chapter 3: Things Are Starting to Come Into Play

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot moves forward.

_Traverse Town, Night_

_Tap_

_Tap_

_Tap_

Edward lazily watches the rain hit the window as he turned over his notes. He turned back at his notes from the town's defense and how to get his alchemy powers back. He had been looking over his notes hoping to find the answer to the Heartless problem and his own personal problems. But so far his research turned up... _nothing_.

_Tap_

_Tap_

_Tap_

He wonders how his brother Al was doing, and his best friend Winry. Hell, he even misses _Mustang_! Sakura and he had been trying to find a way back to their planet and so far nothing was going up. He had been hiding it from the rest, but he had suspected that Sakura had figured out his strife.

_Tap_

_Tap_

_Tap_

_What if there is no way out? What if there was no way for us to get back to our worlds? What happened to our friends and my brother? Has Al found a way to get his body without the philosopher's stone? While is the homunculus are? And most impartment of all is Al-_

_Cree!_

Edward was pulled out of his thoughts and turned around to see that Sakura was opening the door with a somber look on her face. Edward felt a sense of dread anticipating the worst. That the girl that Sakura was trying to save had died. Edward walked over to her and asked her not wanting to hear what he had thought was coming," What happened Sakura? Did she-" Sakura held up her hand to give herself a chance to speak.

Sakura shook her head and answered," No, we disinfected her wound and stitch her neck up again but there were traces of poison from whoever tried to kill her," Her face turned grim, and her eyes glazed with worry. The girl she was healing was on the brink of death, they were sure that the girl would not make it... In fact, they were sure she wouldn't make through the night. Edward's eyes wielded in surprise and disgust, "Poison!? Someone used poison to kill some kid?" Edward an expression of horror on his face. Whoever tried to kill that kid was a monster. The police force is hard at work to try and find that boy who left the kid in Sakura's hands.

"Some sick monster. However, she could have been in the wrong place at the wrong time." Sakura said melancholy tone. "I wish I had my powers back." Edward blinked in surprised and had a sorrowful expression on his face. "I could have saved if only I could use chakra anymore. I feel so useless."

Sakura sat down on a chair, on the opposite side of the table. She sighed. "All I can do now is just hope for the best and maybe she will make it," Sakura said, helplessness plastered on her face. Edward too felt helpless and grabbed Sakura's hands," I know how you feel Sakura. I feel useless in this world without my alchemy powers." Sakura looked up at him with a hopeful look on her face." But I promise you I will find a way to get our powers back." He promised her. Sakura was suddenly was reminded of a certain blond ninja and close friend in her world and felt hope rising up again." Thank you, Ed."

* * *

_At the Traverse Town's Hospital, Night_

The light from the moonbeam shown right through the window of the 4th floor, of the Traven Town Hospital. The night was calm, quiet, and beautiful Haelth would have enjoyed the night if she wasn't fighting for her life. The area around her neck turned a deathly shade of purple and she was struggling to breathe. Sweat dripped down from her forehead to the bed.

Unknown to her, a shadow slithered right into the room she was in. It stopped and its red eyes peek out from the floor and looked from the right then to the left again. As if to see if there was anyone in the shadows like itself. Understandable...due to the Heartless that were around and they too can also blend in the shadows, it was no surprise that the spirit was cautious. The spirit knew that people in Traverse Town are being attacked by Heartless and since it itself looked like a Heartless the townspeople will most likely kill it without any hesitation...

The spirit stops looking around fixated on the girl when it heard the little her begging to wheeze. The spirit raised from the ground and slowly began to take form. Slowly a wolf-like head appears first, then came the square muzzle with sharp pointing teeth, along with red lizard-like eyes, and two ears. The spirit also had no legs however it had a black tail.

It looked down at the child with an unknown motion in her eyes. The child was so small and weak that the spirit felt like it could have snapped her with a single swipe of its claw. But even if it wanted to it could not. A spirit can't touch the living but they can enter the living's dreams. This was the way the spirit could save the child's life at the cost of her, the spirit, becoming her, the girl's weapon.

What stopped it from doing that was conflicting thoughts that going through their mind.' _It's this really the only option that I have? Forcing a child to fight my battles for me? Or I should leave and let fate decide what will happen to the child?'_ The spirit though for a few minutes about this while watching the child fighting for her life, _' Either way, she is screwed. Suffering from a poison or fighting against that bastard. Plus she was the only one my soul can sync to as of right now. I don't have much of a choice if I want to stop him from trying escape.'_ She looks down at the girl with a pitying look on her long face. _'Please forgive me gods for what I'm about to do to this poor child and everything else that will be unfortunate get caught up in this war. But must be done; this war has gone for far too long.'_

The spirit uses its claw-like hand to lift Haelth's chin up and used the other claw to open her mouth. Then suddenly the spirit dissolves into a cloud of smoke and enters the girl's mouth, eyes, and ears. Haelth didn't know what was going on but her body started to seize. It seemed like the body knew something was wrong and was trying to fight it, but it was all in vain. Haelth's body seizes until every last puff of the smoke entered her body.

Once all the smoke has entered the girl's body, it went limp. Her breath slowly went back to normal and so did her heart rate. Her body was slowly getting better but her mind, on the other hand, was slowly getting worse...

* * *

_Haelth's mind_

A gentle breeze bushed through Haelth's hair and the bright green grass. Haelth closed her eyes and heard the animals and her brothers in the background. In was a peaceful and relaxing feeling. Her father needed help in gathering the harvest of fruit before the winter set in.

Not that she blames him mind you because fall had only just started and it had already starting to get cold. She knew that soon snow will fall down from the sky and blanket the ground. She rushed through the grass and hopped over the fence. Then a fog and dark clouds started to move in. The air was getting heavy, suddenly rain starts to fall from the sky.

"Crap!" Haelth yelled as heavy drops rain began to fall down on her. The wind starts to pick up as well. Haelth was being pelted with freezing rain and cold winds. By now her brothers were are all in the house and her father was waiting outside the door for her. By the time she got into the house, Haelth was drenched right down to the bone.

_Drip_

_Drip_

Water was dripping from her clothes to the floor of the house. Haelth was so tired that she had to force her eyes opened. Before she could go to her room she fell down. "Shit!" Haelth cried out in pain, she should know by now to watch her step... Sudden she felt something very wet around her chest and torso. There was also the fact she has this sharp pain around her neck.

Then the pain became too great and she sudden finding hard to breath. Haelth wrapped her hands around her neck to feel what was the cause of the pain... She pulls one hand away and looks down in horror. Her hand was covered in blood. Then a sudden Haelt h feels like someone is hitting her head with a sledgehammer then she _remembers. She_ remembers going to the abandoned factory.

She remembers meeting a boy a bit older than her that had a nasty grin on his face.

**Wa...**

She remembers the pain of having her own thought being slit.

**..ke up.**

She saw her friend Scott battling that nut job with his bare hands.

**You need...**

She remembers feeling helpless as she was carried around by-

**YOU NEED TO WAKE THE HELL UP!**

The dizzy spell broke and the white walls suddenly shattered. She _remembered_ everything now. _What an idiot I was! My friends were in danger and I was off in a dreamland instead of helping them. I'll just need to wake up and..._

**And what?**

Red eyes appeared right in front of her and black smoke around them. The smoke then begins to form a body around the eyes of the creature. It smirked at Haelth, showing off its sharp white teeth at her. **" In your memories child. That 'nutjob' is already stronger than you, and that blade he cut your throat with has a bit of poison in it. So even you did wake up you'd be too crippled to do anything about it."** It spoke in a matter-of-fact tone. It poked at Haelth with one of its 'claws' causing her to lose balance and fell over.

The thing _laughs_ at her, much to her displeasure. **"Not to mention you already weak and helpless, to begin with."** The thing said, as looked down at Haelth with a grin on its face. It started floating closer to Haelth who responded with taking a step back, "Stay away from me!" Haelth snapped while trying to put on a brave face but alas she couldn't. The creature grinning noticing this. **"Do my words hurt the little girl? Well good, because it's the truth!"** The creature stated. It's face turned into a sneer, **"Then maybe you start to listen to me."**

"Well if you're here just to call me weak then you better move on. I got no time for bullies **like** you!" Haelth growled at the creature before turning her back to it. What did it think of saying something like that she'll stay around to listen to what it has to say? If she wants to get stronger then she'll find someone else to help her. She would find someone else not it helps. "Not this creature." She muttered.

The spirit frowns at and flew right in front of Haelth so fast that she jumped. **"You think I waste my time just too insulting you when there are more important matters going on?"** The spirit snapped at her in an annoying tone. Haelth stopped and bit her lip. What was the creature talking about? Before she could even ask the creature it cut her off, **"There are lives at stake girl! Not only are your friends in danger but other people as well! Are you going turn your back on these people when I can give you the power to help them!?"** The spirit questioned Haelth. It holds up its claw for Haelth to take. **" What I'm offering you is not only power girl, but something that can save your life. Even now the poison is eating away at your body slowly killing you."**

Haelth's eyes wielded and she opens her mouth to say something but nothing would come out. She was dying, and she never really notices it? Is that why she can't wake up? "I-I need to sit down for a moment," Haelth said, feeling light-head at the moment. Before she could sit down the creature grabs her hand, **"I would let do that but, we don't have much time here."** The spirit replied in a grave tone. Was the room slowly turning black or was that Haelth's mind playing tricks on her again? **" I can save your life child and give you power. All I ask in return that you become my host."** The creature voice snapped Haelth back into reality and she jumps back because it was getting too close to her face.

"Host? Are you like some type of demon or something? And what's this power you keep speaking of? Am I going to turn into a demon or something?" Haelth asked, gulping. This sounded like that movie that she watched that one time. The creature had this cross look on its face and growled at her, **"What the hell! I'm am not a demon you brat! I just look like because of that god damn curse that bastard Conner put on me!"** Its face twisted into a snarl and its red eyes glowed in hate.

Haelth took a step back at the display of anger that the creature was showing. Whatever did this Conner do it must have been horrible to this creature. As quickly as Haelth thought it, the creature quickly changed back to its...more amused look. **"Now do we have a deal?"** It asked Haelth, holding up its claws. **"Look do we have a deal or not?"** It demanded an answer from Haelth, it was losing its patience with her.

Haelth thought about it for a moment. On one hand if what the spirit said it's true then her friends were in trouble and she needs all the help she can get. On the other hand, she had no idea if she could trust this spirit. Plus she didn't know if this was a dream or not. After all, she just met this spirit and she doesn't know if it going to stab her in the back later.

"If we going to work together then we need to set up a few ground rules," Haelth declared. The creature raises one eyebrow and smirk," Ok, tell me these rules of yours?" It asked Haelth. "First if you have any information about my friends then tell me. Don't keep me in the dark," The creature nodded, "You can't take over my body without my say so. Got it?" The creature nodded showing no emotion on its face, "If we meet people that can help us you won't chase them off or kill them." _That_ got a reaction from the creature, but not in a way that Haelth though it would. It was _smiling_.

 **"** **Of course we need allies because face it kids you can't fight your way out of a wet paper bag."** The spirit explained when a grin on its face. Haelth pouted and huffed, "So do you agree to the terms or not?" That got the creature to stop laughing.

 **"** **I do."** The creature answer, holding up its claw. **"So do we have a deal or what?"** The creature smirked at her. Haelth hesitant but she shook the creature's hand...um claw.

"I accept."

" **Good choice!"** The creature said as it shakes Haelth's hand. **"I'll try to keep you safe and, recuse your friends as well."** The creature promised her, before suddenly disappearing from her view. **"I just need to make a few** ** _adjustments_** **."** Before Haelth could even ask the creature, there was a sudden pain in her head. A bright light blinded her and Haelth opened her eyes to the real world and screamed.

_Outside of Traverse Town, Night_

By the time Crona had arrived at the front gates of town he had seen earlier, it was already nighttime. The stars and moon would have been out if it wasn't for the dark grey clouds that were covering night sky.

Drops of rainwater ran down Crona as he had been soaked down to the bone. To make matters worse to the poor boy, he saw a flash of yellow not too long ago and felt like he was being watched. Needless to say, Crona was dead tried when he got to Traverse Town. All Crona wanted to do is eat and rest after that long trip.

Huge white walls encircled the town as Crona got closer to the front gates. Crona looked up hoping to find a guard or someone on top of the walls but he had no such luck. ' _Was that normal around here?'_ Crona thought to himself. This place seems heavily guarded but there were no guards to be seen. _'_ _I-I don't know if I can handle this!'_ Crona thought to himself, biting his lip. But never the less he walked up to the gates and form a fist to knock on the door,

Suddenly Crona felt a familiar feeling of danger and turned around quickly to see something black was heading his way! The thing swung its black claw at Crona aiming right for his eye and Crona quickly brought his arm to defect himself.

_Punch!_

Ragnarok's fist aimed right at the shadow's face and pushed it away from Crona before it even made any contact with his arm. The thing went _flying_ and hit the ground. _Hard._ Sudden the _whole_ damn forest had pairs of yellow eyes glaring at Crona and Ragnarok. What seems like a horde of those things crawling out of the forest and sizing up Crona and Ragnarok with glee in their evil yellow eyes. Crona took a step back nervously while Ragnarok growled at the things.

 **"** **You are not going to run away from them when we can take these punks down!"** Ragnarok growled and pinched Crona's nose. "But we don't do that anymore," Crona stated, not looking for a fight. Sudden one of the things lunged forward and clawed Crona's left leg spilling... black blood? Ragnarok hardened the black blood before Crona can bleed anymore. **"These punks don't look like they are going to leave us alone anything soon. Plus I'm itching to let off some steam."** Ragnarok said as he glared at the things. Ragnarok clearly had bloodlust in his white eyes, ready to kill these things. "But..." Crona mumbled before another thing got bold and jumped on Crona's shoulder. **"We can't run away from this, Crona! Either you fight or I'll eat your food for the next week!"** Crona knew there was no reasoning with Ragnarok when he gets like this. So he nodded and Ragnarok flowed right back into him and reappeared in Crona's hand as a sword.

"Are you sure you should be fighting Ragnarok?" Crona asked Ragnarok's sword form was smaller than he remembers, or at less what memories he remembers. That seems to get Ragnarok pissed off and he yelled at Crona, **"Of course I can fight these shit heads! Now stop making up excuses and fight!"** Crona nodded and held up his sword up as the monster charged at him.

**To be continued...**


	4. We're Going On An Adventure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> My first time writing an action scene.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit: (1/23/2018) Just fixing some grammar issues.

_Meanwhile in Space_

In a galaxy far, far away...oh wait, wrong fan fiction. I mean, alone gummi ship was flying through space. Far away planets shine like little white dots, giving a bit of life to an otherwise black void. But that was not what Sora was thinking about. What he was thinking about were the reports he had heard from King Mickey. Sora looked down at the letter that King Mickey sent him and had to reread it again.

_Dear Sora_

_I'm so sorry to call you so soon Sora, after our last adventure. But something bad is happening to the worlds._

_Worlds have been disappearing left and right._

_We have no idea why this is happening right now. And with_

_Organization 13 and_ _Maleficent are_ _gone we believe this is a new enemy._

 _But a friend of_ _mine said that he may know who's behind this but_

_he says he needs your help._

_We're sending you a gummi ship to come and pick you up._

_Your friend Mickey_

Sora folded his eyebrows in confusion. He thought that when he and Riku had defected from Xehanort everything would go back to normal. This goes to show how much he knows...

"Sora!"

Sora stops his train of thought and turned to his friend Donald Duck. If a normal person looks at Donald they most likely would check to see if they were drunk or not. For not only were they looking at a white feathered duck that not only is the height of a small human, he can talk, do magic, and has a short temper problem. Yes... a normal person would check if they were in the right set of mind when they saw a creature like Donald. Good thing Sora is not normal.

"Yes, Donald?" Sora asked, not sure what the duck wants from him. Donald frowns at the young man and pointed at a meter next to them. Sora looked at the meter closely and his eyes wielded in surprise and fear. You see dear reader, this gummi ship runs on smiles and it seems Sora hasn't been smiling much, so the meter dropped down a lot. "Oh…" That was the only thing Sora can say before the ship dropped down.

"AAAHHHHH!" Everyone in ship scream as the ship begins to descending rapidly. Sora grabbed a nearby railing to keep himself from falling. "Sora you got to smile!" Donald shouted, hanging onto the same railing for dear life. Sora closed his eyes and smile as best he could. Suddenly the ship stopped and both landed face first on the cold ground.

Both Sora and Donald got up from the floor and Donald turns around slowly at the young boy. "So what's on your mind Sora?" Donald glared at the boy but his tone softens a bit. Sora looked down feeling bad he almost crashed the ship again. (1) Before Sora could explain himself another voice called out to them, "Hey ya fellas!" Goofy greeted them as he comes down from the hall.

Goofy was also an anthropomorphic animal like Donald but he's a dog. A dog wearing bright colored clothes, but also has a shield tied to his back. If Donald quick to anger Goofy was the opposite. He's more patient than his friend and a lot friendlier than him. But don't let that fool you Goofy is actually smarter than what most people credit him for.

"Hey, Goofy!" Sora greeted his friend happy that he didn't have to explain his problem with Donald. Not that he doesn't like Donald, in fact, they're really good friends. He just doesn't want to bother him, with his troubles.

"What's going on fellas?" Goofy asked looking at both of his friends in confusion. Donald narrowed his eyes at Sora. Sora had a downcast expression on his face as he looked down, he seems to be avoiding Donald's eyes. Goofy thought that _maybe_ both Sora and Donald had gotten into a fight with one and another.

"Nothing," replied Sora, looking a little bit troubled. Hoping that Goofy would drop it. Donald, however, wasn't going to let him off that easy. "Oh no, you don't! You're going to tell us what's wrong right now!" Donald said, sounding more concerned now. Now Sora knows he can't just walk away from this. Especially now, with both Donald and Goofy looking at him with a concerned look in their eyes.

"Well...you see…" Sora tried explained but couldn't find the words to help him explain what's going on. Donald losing his patience shouted at the boy," Come out with it Sora!" Sora closed his eyes and finally answered, "Well-" He was about to begin when _another_ voice echoes through the speakers.

"WE'RE HERE!"

The captains of the ship, Chip's and Dale's voices echoed throughout the halls. Donald, Sora, Goofy paused for a moment before Goofy got up first. "We better get going. We don't want the king to be waiting." Goofy commented, but then he gave that look that sometimes Sora's mom used when she wanted an explanation later. But Donald was having none of that and was about to demand an answer...until Goofy gave him a look. Donald closed his mouth and looked at Sora then at Goofy, then he walked off in a huff.

"Don't worry about Donald, Sora. He'll be back to normal before you know it." Goofy said, smiling at the boy. Sora smiled back until Goofy walked away. When Goofy was out of sight Sora rubbed his hand on his arm, looking down with a frown on his face. He walked to where the King was and trying to suppress his thoughts about his mother and the fight he had with her...

* * *

_Disney Castle_

A breeze blew through the gardens of Disney Castle. It was actually a really beautiful garden with brightly colored flowers, the sunshine, and all that nice stuff. But there were very few people paying any real attention to the garden these days. Especially, if you got to talk to the King of this castle in order to stop a growing number of concerns about the Heartlessness. But Sora did stop to enjoy the view a bit before his friends called him over.

"Sora, over here!" Goofy called out to him as he spotted Sora looking at the garden with a bliss look on his face. Whatever was bothering him seemed gone for now. But Goofy knows that Sora likes to keep his feelings under control until it boils over…Something that Goofy was not going to let happen if he could help it.

"We can't keep the king waiting!" Donald shouted at Sora. Crossing his arms and frowning as Sora rushed over to where they were.

"I'm here! You don't need to shout." Sora said to Donald as he caught up to them." So where is the king anyway?" He asked, wondering why King Mickey hadn't come out to greet him like he always did.

"He's in the throne room waiting for us. He's talking to someone that knows about the Heartless's problem." Goofy explained to Sora. He didn't know who this stranger was really but the king trusted him and that was good enough for Goofy. Donald, on the other hand, didn't trust the guy. The guy had a sad look in his eyes and the way he spoke is almost like he's...dead. For some reason that just made his skin crawled.

"Well let's go meet him!" Sora said as he walked towards the door. But Donald stopped him by holding his jacket. "We can't just yet. He still talking to that guy." Donald said in a tight tone of voice. Sora took note of that and wonder what kind of guy was talking to the king.

Suddenly a guard walked up to them and said," The king would like to see you Sir Donald, Goofy, and Sora." _'Yes!'_ Sora thought to himself when the guard said that. As much as he wants to go exploring the castle he also wants to greet the king and find out who was this mysterious stranger. "Let's go!" Sora said cheerfully at his friends before going into the castle.

Sora could hear his friends close as he walked down the hallway to the throne room. As Sora walked he turn left and right in the hallway he took in the sights of the castle. Red carpet scrolled down each hallway. Giving some colors to the white stone walls. Paintings, tables, and the willows gave the castle life. All in all, it was a nice looking castle. Reminded Sora of Kairi's home. Kairi's home was bigger, and made out of stone, and had more people living in it. On second thought this was a lot different than Kairi's home.

Suddenly Sora found himself in front of the throne room. The big white doors blocked his path to his meeting with the king and this mystery friend of his. Sora could hear Donald and Goofy finally catching up with him as they appeared right behind him.

"SORA! Why did you run ahead of us you little-!" Donald growled angrily, his face was fuming. Before Sora could even open his mouth to yell back at him Donald jumped on him. Sora tried to push back the mad duck, but Donald wasn't letting him go.

"Guys stop it!" Goofy cried out but his pleas fell on deaf ears. The boys tossed and turned until…

_Bam!_

The doors to the throne room swung opened and hit the boys. "What was that?" King Mickey asked in a surprised voice. He was just like Goofy and Donald but only he's a mouse. His cute face along with his ears was round and he even has a nose like a button to go along with it. His eyes had a very kind look to them while his lips, usually were in a happy smile, but this time was in a straight line of concern. He had short black fur with tan fur around his face and muzzle. His clothes were almost always in red and gold colors with white gloves.

"I and Donald got into a bit of a fight," Sora said in a blithe tone of voice. Mickey rolled his eyes playfully, "And why did you and Donald get into a fight?" Mikey asked in a tone that sometimes his mom used when she trying to get the truth from him. "We were...um…" Sora jumbled around, trying to find the right words.

"I think it's quite obvious your majesty," A voice reply with a dead tone of voice. Sora and Donald pushed opened the door to see the king and the stranger as well.

"Greetings keyblader," As a hand appeared in Sora's vision," I've been meaning to talk to you for a while now," Sora took his hand and the stranger pulled him up. The stranger was a very pale, skinny, individual. His messy white hair stood out against his black clothes. His pink eyes didn't show any emotion, but somehow Sora could tell he was amused by the twinkle of laughter in his eyes.

"Thanks! I'm Sora, this is," He pointed to Goofy who waved, "Goofy, and this is Donald." Then he turned to the white-haired man," And you are?" He asked him.

"Oh, I'm Shino. Nice to meet you," Shino bowed in respect to the trio. Sora bowed back but in an awkward fashion then Donald and Goofy. Shino didn't seem to take notice of it.

"So I suppose you're here because of the Heartless returning?" Shino asked the trio, with a neutral expression on his face. Sora nodded having a grim expression on his face. "Yeah, we came as fast as can once we heard.

"Well, I'm glad you did fellas. Shino here just may have a lead on where the Heartless are coming from." Mickey explained to Sora and the group. Sora's eyes widened in surprise, while Goofy and Donald look at Shino with a bewildered expression on their faces. Had this stranger really found out where the Heartless were coming from?

"There's be time for questions later but first," Mikey pointed down the hall, "Let's go to the library so we can talk." Donald and Goofy walked right after Mickey. Sora walked aside Shino in order to get to know the stranger.

"So how long do you know the king?"

"For a long time. When he was still a keyblade apprentice."

"Where did you meet him?"

"On some planet. I actually forgot the name..."

"How do know about the heartless?"

"Everyone knows about the heartless kid."

"I _know_ that! I mean, how did you find out who's controlling the Heartless?" Sora asked, folding his arm together. That got some sort of reaction from Shino. Shino's back stiffened and he slowing turns around.

"All will be explained when we get to the liberty." He said with no emotion in his voice. He grabbed Sora's shoulder and leaned down to his ear. "There are eyes and ears everywhere Sora and we don't want them knowing about our plan." He whispered as he walked away from Sora.

This left Sora in a complex sort of mood. He wanted some straight answers from Shino but even he knows that's not possible now. If that wasn't enough there's also the feeling of foreboding from Shino's words. Was this going to be Xehanort all over again?

"Hey, keyblader! If you don't hurry we will leave you behind!" Shino called for him, down the hall.

That got Sora to snap out his thoughts and ran over to the white-hair man. When he caught up with him, they walked down the library in silence where everyone else was waiting for them.

"What took you guys so long?" Donald asked, his face seems a bit moody for Sora but to him, that's how he always looked.

"We got sidetrack a bit," Shino explain, in a neutral tone of voice. Donald had an uptight look on him but he kept it to himself. He didn't trust Shino but kept his opinions to himself. After all, they still got this Heartless's problem to deal with.

After Shino closed the door behind him, Sora turned to him and said, "So are you going to tell us what's going on?" He asked, tapping his foot on the white marble floor.

"Of course, but first thing first," Shino reach out in his jacket to find something." Just to make sure it safe." He quickly pulled out a black lantern that lit up in a bright light so bright that Sora had to close his eyes.

After a while, that light has gone down and everyone slowly opened their eyes to the bright light. Donald glared at Shino," What was that for?! You could have blind us!" He growled and for once (ok maybe more than once) Sora and Goofy agreed with him.

"Donald's right!" Sora said, clearly annoyed by his actions. "Yeah! What's the big idea!" Goofy called him out. Clearly, he was just as annoyed as Sora, and this isn't the Goofy we are talking about and he is the calm one of the group unless something goes wrong.

"I'm sorry I just have to make sure that Connor didn't replace any of you with a spy on me," Shino replied, holding up his hands. Then he did something that everybody didn't think he'll do. (but Mickey) He bowed and begged, "I'm sorry for what I did. Can you please forgive me?"

Sora, Donald, and Goofy blinked in surprise and shock. They didn't see this coming and now they felt like jerks.

"It's ok," Sora forgives him. Now that Shino explains why he did what he did then Sora couldn't really blame him. Besides seeing him bow to him made Sora unconformable.

"Yeah, we forgive you," Goofy replied, looking at Donald with eyes that barely tell him he should forgive him too.

"Yeah sure...whatever." Donald started, in a tight tone of voice. He's unsure how to feel about this guy. Should he forgive Shino? Or should he still be mad?

"Anyhow," Mickey coughed, stopping Donald's train of thoughts. "Shino can you tell them what's going on?" _That got_ the trio attention, and they looked at Shino with an appealing look in their eyes.

"Right. Of course," Shino coughed, his ears turned slight red, "The one who's behind all of this is Conner." He spat out like he just ate a real piece of bad food. The trio raised one eyebrow and scratched the back of their heads. They never heard of anyone name Conner before, but Mickey on the other hand did. And his face had a haunted look on it.

"Who's Conner?" Sora asked, tilting his head a bit.

"Connor was a powerful soldier back when I was younger in my homeworld." Shino started to explain, "But when things start to go wrong when was captured by the enemy. We didn't know what happened to him but whatever did it must have been horrible. He stabs us in the back, kills thousands of people, and then drowns our homes into darkness." He finishes his sentence head lowered, clenching his teeth.

"You sealed him away because he was too powerful to kill. Right Shino?" Mickey asked, but Sora had a feeling he already knew the answer.

"Yes, well... is not that simple…" Shino start explaining, "You see, we did seal him but he found a loophole. While he can't cause any harm in person he can harm us through dream and make other people do his dirty work for him." Mickey had a grim look on his face, "He has quite the following now. I don't how but he has people following him and keeping their loyalty to a bastard like him. But using these people to summon Heartless to their world to cause a panic, and building an army."

Sora felt sick to his stomach. The way Shino explains Conner was very dreadful, to say the least. But the looks on the expression on everyone's faces and they all had the feeling the same thing he did. He decided to put on his best-determined look and folded his hand into a fist and punch his other hand which was holding up.

"Well then what are we waiting for! Let's go catch this guy before he causes any more trouble! Who's with me?" Sora raises his fist up in excitement and soon every else join in.

"I'm with you all the way, Sora!" said Donald

"If you two are going I might as well to keep you guys in line." Replied Goofy

"That's the spirit Sora!"

Shino was silent, but he did smile in appeal.

"Wow just wow." A new mocking, voice echoed throughout the library. Sora, Donald, and Goofy looked around the library is confusing. While Mickey and Shino were tense.

" _Conner!_ How did you- When did you-" Shino growled looking around confused and pulled out his lantern." Oh, that old trick?" A flapping noise was heard before a raven landed on the table where they were all meeting." I figure out a way around the old trick a while ago Shino. Man, you're slow."

The raven turned its gaze at Sora and that's when he a sickly yellow eye on the raven right eye. "So this is the keyblader I been hearing about." The Raven started, with an amusing tone of voice. "I thought you be taller and have some fashion sense and what's with your hair? Did your mother make out with a porcupine or something?" The raven laughed while Sora scowled. No one makes fun of his mother.

He made a move to grab the raven but it flew before he could catch it. Conner laughed at the boy's action while still in the air. But his laugh was cut short when Sora cast gravity on the raven.

"Of!" The raven mumbled in pain. Sora went up to the bird and grab him.

_Poof!_

The raven disappeared in a poof, and Conner laugh echoed. "Ha ha ha ha! You got spirit kid. I like it!" Sudden the raven appeared on Sora's shoulder. "Too bad you are with these guys and wearing those weird looking shoes." Sora went to grab the raven but Conner dodged him again, laughing.

"Enough Conner!" Mickey shouted, stopping Conner's laughter. "Why are you here?" Mikey sneer at the raven.

"Oh right," Conner stopped bothering Sora and flew to the table. "I'm here to pick up something for a new partner." He started explained, once he landed on the table, "Something about a ship and map so he can go around, taking over other worlds and other stuff like that. He did promise me that he'll help me get out of that seal of yours." His tone was from his cheerful and friendly, to a low hint madness behind it.

"Plus," As soon as Sora saw madness in Conner's eyes, it quickly disappeared, "I get to see my old pal Shino again." He said with grinned, that annoyed the ever-loving crap out of Shino.

Shino grab Conner by the neck before he could react, "Here another question, why are you in that form and how do you get past the guards?!" He shouted in Conner's ear. Connor shook his head and gave Shino an evil smile.

"You be surprised what people would do if you promise them that you would help them with their dreams. Sometimes I would ask them to fight for me, to bleed for me, oh hell I even ask to cut off their own _hand_ for me and they would do it. If I just say the right words to them." He said with a smile on his face. Sora felt sick to his stomach hearing about this, and he's not the only one, everyone in the room had a disgusting look on their faces. "Hell if I ask I can tell them to betray their own _king_ if I really wanted them to."

Mickey's eyes widen and they jumped up to summon their weapons. At the same time, the windows and doors bust opened, and people wearing black robes with a single yellow eye in front of their robes pour in.

"Where did these guys come from!?" Donald shouted, sending a bust blizzara at the enemies. It freezes the three of the robed assassins and bowed two away from them.

"I have no idea, but we have to protect the king!" Goofy replied, after hitting one assassin from the king.

"You don't know?" Conner honeyed voice called out on the battlefield. Sora ducked under a swing from the assassin that was using a sword. He swung his keyblade it landed a hit on the assassin's hand, then he kicks him in the chest, and knocked him right into the floor. As that was happening the hood that covered the assassin's face was removed and revealed and it was a chicken face.

Sora didn't know who this person was, but from the gasps of Goofy, Donald, and Mickey they seem to know.

"Sarge McGuffin?" Goofy sounded crushed by this revelation while Donald was shaking in anger.

"That means…" Donald mumbled through his clenched teeth and shouted out a spell, "Aero!" The spell blows away the group assassins and flips their hoods up to reveal they're all two-legged animals like Donald, Goofy, and Mickey. This causing Donald to shake his fist in rage and cursing that would make even a sailor blush. Goofy had a hand over his mouth in shock and had a crushed look on his face. Mickey just looked on in shock and despair.

The outcry against the trio of animals was something that Sora did not see coming but he could understand. Sora may not be the sharpest tool in the shed but he can put two and two together. He could tell that these people had probably worked for the king and now they are trying to kill him.

"How?" Mickey finally said something." H-h-how could you all?" Dear god he sounds so close to crying.

Conner just laughed at him." What can I say? I have a _special_ way with people. It's like I'm their king now." Conner laughed, while Mickey was shaking with anger.

Without warning Mickey threw his keyblade at the raven, only to miss because Conner was too quick for him.

"Ha, you miss!" Conner gleefully said. "As much I would like to play with you, I got business to do." Before anyone could do anything, Conner summons a portal.

"See you later!" Conner yelled, flying into the portal. But before he could step into the portal, Sora grabbed him and started pulling him out of the portal. His friends all shouted and rush to Sora's side at once.

Before they could get to him, Sora was pulled into the portal by the shoulder. For such a small thing the raven that Conner was lifting Sora up from the ground and dragging Sora to the portal. Before his friends can do anything about it the portal closed before anyone can help.

"Ha, I knew you were a dumb kid! But I didn't think you were this stupid!" Conner laughed when he sees Sora shocked and bewildered look on his face.

Sora turned from shock to sneering at the raven." What did you do?" He asked, annoyed but also a sense of fear as well.

Conner just laughed at the boy's discomfort. "What? You really think I would go into enemy's stronghold just to have a little chit-chat? "He suddenly had a more serious face, "No. My plan was to lead you away from Shino and the others. I can't have you working with the likes of him." As he narrowed his eyes.

Sora's eyes widen, if that's true he's here to kill him. Sora summoned his keyblade and pointed to Conner.

"What are you doing?" He asked, surprised that the boy pointed the keyblade at him. After all, he's the only thing that keeping you alive right now. If he let's go then Sora will fall forever unless he knows how to make portals and use magic to keep him afloat.

"You're going to kill me, are you? Well, I'm not going down without a fight!" Sora shouted, at the animal.

Conner just blinked," I would but why would I get rid of my own _bait_." As he said that a portal grew right below Sora and Conner dropped him into it.

"AAAAHHHHH!" Sora screamed as he dropped into the portal. The last thing he heard was Connor laughing at him.

Conner laughed there for a good while, then he turned and left. There was no reason to stay here. His followers played their part, and now they died believing they had done a great favor to him. But in reality, they're throwing their own lives away for a tyrant who could have saved them easily. Conner had many more followers that were better used than them. So what was the whole point of keeping them around? Even if the little rat king doesn't kill them he'll make sure of that they die slowly and painfully.

* * *

_Traverse Town, First District_

_Bang!_

The door that once protected the citizens of Traverse Town from the outside world was now starting to fell apart. The door holds on, but for god knows how long.

_Bang!_

The citizens that live in the First District were moved to the Second District by the guards. The guards all ready for whatever was on the other side of the door.

_Bang!_

Both Sakura and Edward pushed their way through the crowd to talk to the head guard.

"What's going on here?" Edward asked, troubled by the fact that gates were being attacked. The head was just as equal, if more troubled than Edward from the look of things.

"We don't really know sir. One minute everything fine then suddenly there someone breaking on the walls."

_Bang!_

"Where are all the guards?" Edward asked, getting more and more worry. What the guard said next only worry Edward even more, "We don't know! The guards that were there sudden disappeared! We think-

" **Screech Gamma!"**

_Crash!_

The door exploded outward and spatter a bunch of splits everywhere. The force of the blast threw Edward and the head guard off their feet. The world spin right before Edward's eyes, as he lands on the ground.

Edward's vision starts to come back into focus, and he slowly got back up. Voices that were muffed before, slowing becoming more and more clear. Sounds of screams, shouts, yells, and cries ring out throughout the battlefield. Edward moves from lying position to a standing one, while all this chaos before unfold right in front of him.

The gate was nothing more than burn pieces' wood now. Heartless pour in through the gates but most of them were circling around this one kid. The soldiers were either knocked out cold by the blast or fighting the Heartless. Some of which were being killed by them, by sticking their claw-like hands into their chest and putting out a pink heart.

While there was no gore in this action, it doesn't make it any less sick. Sudden Edward felt something jump on his back, pushing him down. He quickly turned and pushed the Heartless off of him, and then getting into his fighting stance. The Heartless glared at Edward and tried to pounce on him again.

This time, however, Edward was ready. As soon as the Heartless was in striking distance, he round-kick it to a nearby wall. The Heartless hit the wall so hard that there was a crack in the wall. The Heartless disappeared in a cloud of dark smoke.

Edward let a 'huff' and felt a string on his back and shoulders. He grabbed his left shoulder and pulled away his hand to see there was blood on it.

"Damn it!" Edward hissed in pain. Lucky for him the cuts weren't that deep, but they did sting like crazy and hurt like hell.

Edward's little reaction didn't go unnoticed, however. The Heartless knows when someone is too weak or too helpless to stop them. The smell of blood attacks them and 5 of them turn to Edward's way.

Once Edward realized this his quickly turned to fear. He looks around for an escape route but found nothing. He stood still as the Heartless start to close in.

_Closer…_

The heartless start to closing in on him. Making sure there's was no escape.

_Closer…_

Edward watched as the heartless come closer. Ready to pounce on him. To rip him into little tiny pieces.

_Now!_

The heartless just in the air only to find their food escaping them!

Edward quickly got right back up from his feet and ran. Now Edward was never one to turn and run from a battle if he could help it. But Edward was smart, he knows he doesn't stand a chance against the Heartless unless he had a weapon.

"Ed!" Sakura's voice cut off Edward's thoughts. He turned to Sakura rushing to his side. She had a spear on in one hand and another hand medical kit.

When Sakura saw how deep the scratches are on Edward's back, her eyes widened in worry. She looks over his wound and moved Edward away from the battlefield.

"Ouch! Sakura I'm fine!" Edward said while he was trying to calm down Sakura. But Sakura wasn't having it and got out the medical kit.

"No, you're not! Your wound will get an infection if it not treated." She said as she grabs clean rags and pushed up against the wounds. Once the wounds stop bleeding she cleaned it and started bandaging the wound.

They were lucky that their little hiding spot was not found by the heartless yet. Sakura glared over her shoulders every once and while to make sure the enemy wasn't behind them. Which took Edward longer to heal. If only she had her chakra…

_Boom!_

At the sound of the explored, Sakura and Edward turned to the source of the noise. What they saw was a young boy...girl...whatever… fighting the heartless and _was winning_. But there were a lot of Heartless and the boy…girl…whatever seems to be getting tired. Sakura quickly grabs her spar and rush to the girl's side to help her.

As Sakura got closer, she got a better look at the girl. The girl was pale, so pale in fact that the black oil on her face and hands stands out. (or at less Sakura thought that was oil.) Her blue eyes were wild with fear. The girl's hair was the same color as Sakura's only paler and cut short with pieces sticking out here and there. She wears a black dress showing off how skinny she was. By the way, she was fighting, she was pretty skilled for skinny thing like her.

One of the heartless got lucky and jumped on the girl's back. It started to claw at her shoulder. Sakura quickly knocked it off of the girl's back, and stab it as soon as it hits the ground. The Heartless dissolves into black smoke, and Sakura let out a 'huff'.

_Swish!_

Sakura barely had the time to duck under the swinging black sword that was trying to cut her head off. Sakura was shocked at first but then her face glowering in anger at the girl. "What the hell?!" Sakura growled at the girl, taking a step forward. The girl flinched and took a step back as Sakura continued walking toward her. "I save your life and this is how you repay me?" She almost screams at the girl.

"I-um," The girl strutted out in low voice. Every time Sakura took a step forward the girl took a step back.

"I, _what_!" Sakura growled as she took one big step closer, clearing the distance between the two.

"'I'm sorry', is that what you're going to say? Is that what you're going to say bud?!" She yelled at him. If there wasn't a huge battle going off in the background, it seems to on-lookers that it looks like an older sister was scrolling the younger brother/sister about trying to roughhouse in the middle of the street.

The girl flinched and was about to say something but cut off by a certain blond boy who finally caught up with them.

"Sakura lay off! Can't you see that you're scaring the poor guy?" Edward cut right in before Sakura could get another word in.

"Ed, she tried to kill me," Sakura said in a deadpan tone of voice.

"Well...um"

"I know that! But he'll probably know something about heartless and since we have barely information on them, that kid probably a lot more than we do. We need him in one piece." Edward replies back.

"Well, I um…"

"Oh for f*ck sake!" Sudden a black mess shot out from the girl's back and started to take form. It reminds Sakura about one those little weird-looking characters that her little brother read in that manga she caught him reading that one time. It had eyes so big it took up most of its face. What covers its face was a big white 'x' and the thing had no mouth. (Which make Sakura question how it can talk in the first place.) One of its noodle-like arms was shaking his fists at her.

All in all, that was the weirdest thing she ever saw.

...and from all the things she saw, that _really_ said something!

From what she could see, this was also the strangest thing Edward has ever seen too, because of that baffled look on his face. After a moment of silence, Edward broke the ice.

"What the hell is that _thing_?" Edward said, looking at the growth from the girl's back with a quizzical look on his face. That comment made the said 'thing' mad. "Who are you calling 'a thing' SHORTY!"

' _Oh no.'_ Sakura glared nervously at Edward. When Sakura and Edward first met they weren't friends per say but they tolerated each other. Of course one day they got into an argument and Sakura made a comment about Edward's height. And well...

"WHO ARE YOU TO BE CALLING ME SO SMALL DO YOU THINK THE DOOR KNOB HITS ME IN THE HEAD!" Edward growl at the thing, with fire in his eyes.

Yeah...that.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the one of the Heartless was trying to sneak up on them.

"Look out!" Sakura grabbed both Edward and the girl away before the heartless can sink its greedy claws on them. But both of the weight of the girl and Edward cause Sakura to lose her balance, but lucky she quickly got to her feet and thrust her spear at the Heartless killing it.

That's when another heartless took this time to pounce on Sakura and sink its claws into her back. Sakura tried to throw it off but then two more join their fellow Heartless in the fray. Every time Sakura punch one and another two more take its place. She can feel the heartless trying to ripping apart her skin to get to her heart.

"GOD DAMN IT!" Sakura shouted, trying to reach for her spear. A tear welled up, she doesn't do something soon, she'll die. She never sees her family again, or see Naruto return from his training, or get to see Sasuke again. Snapping out of it and grab her spear stab one the Heartless. If she going to die, she'll die fight.

Sudden the weight of the Heartless was lifted and pulled right back on her feet again. Sakura looked up and saw the girl battling the Heartless with a sword and...is that oil flying off of her body and form into sharp needles?

" _Bloody Needles!"_

"Is that guy fight the heartless with his blood?" Edward asked, as he got the First Aid kit from Sakura and started bandaging up her wounds. Sakura hissed in pain when Edward treated her wounds, but she watches closely as the fight goes on.

Whoever train this girl really knew her stuff. She ducks and weave past enemies' defense and strike when their guard was down. But what got Sakura's attention the most was the fact the girl using her power while Edward and Sakura can't use their powers. If she can use her powers, then maybe there's a way for her to use her chakra.

_Boom!_

' _What now!?'_ Sakura thought to herself at her almost everyone including the heartless turn to when something has landed in the middle of the street. Smoke cover whoever land but everyone narrowed their eyes as the smoke starts to clean. Something or rather someone steps out from the hole they made in the middle of the street and nearly collapsed right there.

"Ow! I told you I was going to jump! You didn't have to kick me." The pissed off young woman said. Then from her shadow, a long figure jumps out from behind her, and everyone got their weapons out. Was this a new kind of Heartless? But instead of attacking the girl it rests its claws on her shoulders.

" _ **I dluoc evah tub,"**_ A chuckle escape from the beast's lips, _ **" I tnaw ot."**_ This caused the girl to frowned, what Sakura believe in, was annoyances.

Sakura could not understand one word that the beast was saying or why it didn't attack the girl when it had the chance. No, what Sakura was more focus on the girl. Sakura narrowed her eyes and took a closer look at the girl. _'Could it be…?'_ Sakura thought to herself before she realized who this person was.

While her eyes wielded, she got up and ran toward the girl and the beast. Ignoring Edward's voice trying to her back and away from the beast, she ran until right in front of the girl.

The girl was just like what Sakura remembers her when she at the hospital. The girl in front of Sakura was a bit pale, but due to fighting off the poison that was in her system in the first place, it was a no-brainer why. She was very skinny and small, but at least she was still taller than Edward. Bandages still cover her nose and neck. Her red hair was a mess; her blue tips stuck out everywhere. The girl wears a black shirt, brown jacket, jeans, black shoes, and she carry a pink bloody scarf.

Yep, there was no mistaking it. This was the girl that was in the hospital. The girl that almost died in her arms.

Sakura runs up to the girl until she was right in front of her. The girl tilted her head when she saw Sakura, confuse why this woman was in front. What's even surprising that she bumps her fist on her head.

_Bump!_

Sakura hit her on top of the girl's head.

"OW!" the girl yelped in pain. "What was that for?!" The girl yelled, glaring at the other. Sakura glared right back at her, "That was getting out of your hospital bed, without a doctor to check out! You were seriously hurt! You shouldn't be out right now. Epically in a war zone like this. You could get seriously hurt or worse." The red-haired flinched and was about to say something but Sakura beat right to it. "Don't you _dare_ say you got an all-clear from a staff member. I saw your wounds…hell, I treated them! You are in no shape to be running around, more or less jumping from that height." Sakura shouted, fuming at the younger girl.

The red-haired girl flinched and slumping her shoulders. "I-I," The girl tried to find the words to defect herself, but couldn't find any. "I'm sorry." The girl finally said, taking Sakura by surprise. She didn't think that the girl would say she was sorry for her. Now she feels like kind of a jerk.

Before she could say anything else, she cut by a certain blond boy again. "OK, what's going on here?" Edward asked, glaring at the two of them.

"W-well that girl sudden landed from who knows where, and your scary friend seems to know her. A-and then she really mad at her for some reason but then it seems like-" The girl started to explain but Edward cut them off.

"I saw! But that doesn't explain everything that's going on!" Edward snapped, scaring the girl. She flinched and took a step back. ] Edward flinched and open his mouth to say he was sorry for scaring her.

"Look, I didn't mean to yell like the-"

Then out of nowhere a portal appear above Edward, and drop a boy on top of him. It happens so fast and unexpected that Sakura and two other girls can only surprise at all this.

_Bump!_

Both boys fell down in a tangled mess and groaned in pain. Sakura blushed and look away from them.

"Ow…" The unknown boy moaned in pain and tried to stand up. Only for Edward to throw him off of him. "Get off of me!" Edward yelled at the boy.

That's when Sakura turned her attention back to them and got a good look at the boy. His hair so spikes that she thought he put way too much hair gel. (Not that she was one complaint about one's hair.) His skin was slightly tan and his eyes were deep blue. His clothes were strangest Sakura have ever seen before. It looks like a mix of battle armor and black clothes.

All in all, the boy was a second strangest thing she ever saw.

After Edward got up, he dusts off all the dirt he had on his clothes, and then he turned the boy with a quizzical look on his face. "Who are you? Where did you come from? And did you have something to do with _**this**_." Edward started bombing the boy with questions. Unlike the two girls, the boy didn't flinch or back down from Edward.

"First of all my name is Sora. Second of all, you won't believe me even if I told you and third I have nothing to do with this!" Sora shouted, waving his hand at this street which still had Heartless running around causing chaos. Lucky for them there only a few of them left and the guards were pulling them back from where they came. Sakura wonders if her training with guards was that good or did the red-haired kid scared them off.

Either way, Sakura was thankful for less Heartless running around the place.

Edward crosses his arms. "'Long story' huh? Ha! Likely story," He said in distrust tone," You three just happen to show up when everything went to hell? Sounds more poor excuse than anything." Edward glared at him.

"I agree," Sakura gave Edward an appealing look. Then she looks at the red-haired girl, the scared looking girl, and boy who called himself Sora. "In fact, until get is sort out you guys are going to the police station until further notice."

That, of course, cause an uproar with the three.

"WHAT!?"

"B-but I'm too young to go to jail!"

"I don't know how to _deal with_ jail!"

" _ **...uoy yugs era a hcnub fo amard sneeuq."**_

_Boom!_

"What now-" Sakura stop herself in mid-sentence from what she saw. It looks like big pieces of armor fell from the sky and land on the ground in front of them. They hit the ground so hard that when they land cracks bloom on the ground, and each of the five pieces of the armor flies back up in the air. Only to stop in midair and the armor snaps back together. Once it was back to together and look like humanized heartless, it turned around and glared at the five.

' _Oh no,'_ Sakura and the others ready their weapons.

_Rumble!_

The ground shakes under the group's feet. Sudden the parts ground shot up and block the only exits.

' _Crap!'_

Now they were a trap.

"It's Guard Armor!" Sora exclaimed as he got out his weapon. (which looks like a key.)

"Wait, you know this thing?" Sakura asked in surprise. Sora nodded, "Yeah, I fought this heartless before. It's easy to defect but it can move it limps away from its body to attack. So watch out for that!"

Sakura, Edward, and the pink-haired girl nodded. The other girl was talked to the strange black creature.

" _ **Er'uoy ton ydaer ot thgif gnihtemos ekil taht tey."**_

"I can't just sit back and do nothing!"

" _ **Eurt, tsuj tniop eht raeps ta eht Sseltraeh ereh, dna desu taht ygrene I evag uoy. Tel ti levart hguorht rouy ydob, neht ot mra dna neht ot eht raeps."**_

Sakura could not for the life of her understand what that creature was saying, but the young girl seems to. She points her spear at the Heartless and lighting travel from her body, to her arm, and at the pointed end of her spear and a blue lightning, a ball is forming at the tip. It shoots out stuck the Heartless right in the face!

Sora and the taller girl attack the heartless from both sides. In response the heartless arms from moved away from the body and attack them. One tried to swing at Sora but Sora ducked and swing his own weird looking weapon. He got a few good swings at it before the arm moved away.

The girl was having a bit more trouble with the other hand. Every time she swings her sword, the hand will move back just at the right moment.

"Crona are you even trying?!" The same annoying voice that Sakura and Edward had heard before only this time calling out from the sword.

"I'm trying but it's moving fast!" The girl-no, Crona cried out in despair. She tried to attack the Heartless hand but it was no use. Sudden the Heartless hand appeared behind Crona, tried to her to throw her to the ground. The keyword here was _tried_. For skinny, little thing Crona was strong enough to hold up the huge hand right from behind her and throw across the wall.

_Crash!_

"Ok, that was awesome!" Haelth said with glee. Then the heartless set its sight on the rest of them.

"Pay attention kid!" Edward yelled at her.

The kid made an annoying 'huff'. "The name is not the kid! It's Haelth!"

' _Shit,'_ Sakura put out her spear, Edward and Haelth did the same thing. The Heartless growled at them and send its legs right after them.

_Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!_

The legs run toward and kick with all of its might! Sakura quickly did a backflip to dodged while Edward quickly moved to the left. Haelth tried to much distance between her and the feet. She tried changing up one of an electric ball but the feet keep on chasing her.

"Hey!"

Haelth dodged another kicked and tripped.

"Will you-"

_Stomp!_

Haelth was lucky she rolled out the way when the Heartless slam down one of its foot where Haelth's head was. She quickly got to her feet

"Let me-"

She ducked under another kicking.

"- _hit_ you!"

This time, however, she wasn't so lucky and one of the Heartless foot swiftly kick in her stomach.

"Oof!"

_Crash!_

Haelth crashed landed on a wall. Both Sakura and Edward rush over to her side.

"Are you ok?!" Sakura asked horrified that the Heartless would kick her like that. She tried helped the poor girl up, but to her surprise, Haelth got up all by herself.

"Yeah I'm fine," Haelth replied, with an annoyed tone of voice. That's when Sakura started noticing that something wasn't right. For one thing, her voice wasn't upbeat kind of voice that Haelth had, was now gravelly tone. The whites around her eyes were now red, her pupils were blue and slit, she had no iris.

"Who are you?" Sakura, grabbing the stranger's shoulder. Edward comes up from behind her and realizes that Haelth is not what she seems, and point his spear at them.

"I... have no name to give you. But I can you that I was that creature that with the girl before." Sakura remembers it, but then again it hard to miss a smoking black snake-thing with dragon-like arms, and ahead of some sort of wolf.

"What happens to Haelth?" Edward asked Sakura could sense a bit of a worried tone in his voice. Sakura was a bit worry too. She hopes that the kid was fine…

As if reading her mind, the stranger responded with this answer, "Don't worry, the child is fine. The child was knocked out by that blast. I took control of her body because that Heartless will stomp all over it if I don't do something." Then the stranger's eyes wielded, "And will be stomp if we don't move!" The stranger said as they run away. Both Sakura and Edward looked behind, and with a surprised look on their face, they follow the stranger as well.

_Crash!_

Both feet crashed right where the trio was only moments before. Showering dust and bits of rock on our heroes. Sakura runs blindly through the dust cloud and tried to stab one of the Heartless's feet.

_Crash!_

The spear didn't even put a dent in it.

' _Damn it!'_ Sakura cursed at herself before moving away to avoid getting hit by the foot. The thing's armor hard enough to stop the spear from hurt it. The only thing she can do was run away from the foot.

Edward was having trouble with the other foot too. The foot came down like rain on Edward, never giving him a chance to move away and rethink what he going to do. Then Heartless made a mistake. It knocks off his feet and then tried to crush him. But Edward rolled out of the way, and put some distance between them

"This isn't working," Sakura said in frustrated.

_Zap!_

A ball of electric zoom past Sakura and hit one of the Heartless's foot. It hit the heartless so hard that knock off the ground and crash into it's another foot that Edward was fighting.

"If this keeps up then you two will die in seconds." The stranger said a gruff voice. Sakura and Edward both glared at them and was about to tell the stranger off, but they beat them to the punch. "If you two going to say something stupid, then _save_ it! I saw you two fight and it seems to me you guys are not used to fighting Heartless, now are you?" Both Edward and Sakura were taken back at all this. Can everyone see that?

Sudden the stranger's face twisted as if they were a pain. Their hands grab their arm as they fall to their knees. "Damn it." They curse, as Sakura help them up. "Are you ok?" Sakura asked them for worry. "I'm fine, but the kid is waking up." The stranger answered before firing another electric ball at the heartless.

"The kid is better than I thought she would be, but she doesn't have much experience as me. So that's going to be a problem." The stranger said in a quiet tone of voice.

Sakura let the stranger's voice sink in. They will be one ally down against this Heartless, and if Sora or Crona don't finish their fight, then one of them might die or injured in this fight.

"So do have a plan or...?" Edward asked them. The stranger paused for a moment before giving them an answered, "I can give your powers back, but I need something from you too."

"Like what?" Edward asked, narrowing his eyes at the stranger. "I need you to make a pact to protect my user a.k.a this girl. In return, I can give you your power and **more**."

"What do mean by that-" Edward was about to asked before he was cut off by stranger's firing off another ball of electricity. Throw the heartless to a wall on the far side.

"Think like this, in your tiny blond brain here," Edward glared at the stranger, "You know that if a planet product magic only magic users can use the planet magic correct? My powers are adapting my users and those who defected my users to adapt to any world's energy powers. I can also link your power to each other if you bond is strong enough."

"So you can link our powers together if bonds are strong enough? And your powers are to adapt to any sort of planet's power source?" Edward slowly questions the other.

"Yes. That's what I'm saying." The stranger raises one eyebrow at Edward's question.

"I'm saying that's a load of bullshit!" Edward snapped at the other. The stranger was a take back by this, but to Sakura's surprise they did not back down.

"Believe what you want, but you have my word that what I say it's true." The stranger said the angry tone of voice, but Sakura though they were telling the truth. She was taught how spotted lies through body movements by her teacher. The fact that the stranger's arm and palms were open and not cross show that they were not lying. But then again her teacher did warn that some older ninjas were good hiding they feel even through body movements. And something tells Sakura that this stranger was around for a very long time.

_Crash!_

The Heartless's feet free themselves from the wall. They begin to stomp over to where the trio is at. The stranger fell on their knees again. They growled, but whatever it was angry or annoys Sakura couldn't really tell.

"If you want to die then fine! But leave me and use out of it! We got bigger problems than this thing!" They exploited, causing Edward and Sakura to take a step back. The stranger snorted and turned to leave the two to their fates. "If you don't mind I have to get this kid to safely now." They growled in pain as they start walking away.

"Wait!" Sakura called to the stranger. They stopped and turned to the ninja.

"What?" The stranger in a tired voice.

"I will take up your offer," Sakura said. Both the stranger and Edward were surprised at Sakura but they react differently from each other.

"WHAT!?" Edward shouted, while the stranger just blinked in surprise. Sakura was about to explain until she heard a noise behind her.

_Crash!_

Sudden a burning arm crash in the middle of the battlefield. Hitting the Heartless's feet yet again and stopping it from trying to attack the trio. The Heartless's arm disappears as if it was never there.

...Well, that was random!

"Wait Sakura are you sure about this? This could be a trap." Edward whisper to her. He sneaks some glares at the stranger who stood there...slightly in pain.

"Can you two stop and let me-" The stranger was cut from, by… you guess it Sakura.

"Well, I got places to go and people that need saving! There are people out there that are waiting for me and I made a promise to someone important to me." Sakura started to Edward. A picture of a blond ninja appears in her mind. They made a promise, and she will keep it to the very end.

"And you don't think _I_ have important people to see too?! That's what I been researching all this time! To find a way home," Edward said, standing up to Sakura, "But I know if, I or you die then this will all be over. We don't know this stranger! They could just be waiting to kill us right when we lower our guard down, or just used us for their own gain." Edward said, his expression was grim.

Sakura did not know what happened to Edward before they met, just bits of it, but something bad must happen to him. But every time she asks about it he looks away or tried to talk about something else. Sakura didn't bother Edward about his past, but even if she did she'll still go through this pact.

"Sorry Edward but I don't think we have a choice here." Sakura looked at Edward. Edward followed her gaze and saw the Heartless's feet starting to get up. Edward glared at it and ready his spear while turned to the stranger.

"Hey," Both the stranger and Sakura turned to Edward, "can…" He looked down," Can I join too?" He asked them.

Both the stranger and Sakura were surprised at this.

"Of course," The stranger said, "But there will danger I'm afraid," Edward didn't say anything, but he shoots Sakura a look that screams, 'I told you so'. "There will be many dangers that you will face in other worlds. Besides Heartless of course. But if you want to get home you _need_ to face these dangers head-on. So are you two ready?" The stranger asked them.

"I _am_ ," Sakura said, stand in front of the stranger, "I don't care if I get hurt. If my bones break, or if I lose a limb. I made a promise to someone and I'm going to keep it!" Sakura in an appealing tone of voice.

"I'm ready too." Edward takes a step forward as well. "Can't let you take all the credit now. After all, you need someone like me to keep you in line." Edward laughed a bit, but Sakura could tell he's not 100% into this plan.

_Thump!_

_Thump!_

The two Heartless feet stomping their way to the trio. This time the trio can't count on some sort random thing to happen while the Crona was busy fighting off the arm still and Sora fighting with the main body.

"Ok, then! Enough of this heartwarming shit and let's get down to business." The stranger said. They hold their hand up and said, "Now repeat after me and hold your hand like this." Sakura and Edward hold out their hands," I 'say your name' swear to protect the user of this spear." Both Sakura and Edward repeat those words. "I even if my bones break, my blood is spilled, I will keep this promise." They hesitate for a moment but they repeat the words. "Then I shall give you my blood, with it your power and your bonds with those you call companions will aid you." With that said the bit down on their hand and cup one hand to get all the blood that spilled.

_Stomp!_

_Stomp!_

"Drink this blood and your powers will return." The stranger said, holding out their blood. The blood looks so dark almost black. Strange enough the cut where the stranger bit healed.

Sakura holds up her hand and the stranger pours half of the blood in her hand. They give the other half to Edward.

_Stomp!_

_Stomp!_

Edward looked at Sakura, waiting for her to make the first move. She looks at Edward in the eye and nodded. She drinks the blood and so did Edward.

_STOMP!_

The Heartless's feet jumped into the air and landed where the trio was.

_Punch!_

Only to be batted away from the pink ninja's fist. When it was about to hit the ground a part of the ground shoot up and lift it back into the air. It flew back down and hit the ground hard that it disappears.

"So that's alchemy," Sakura said to herself. She saw Edward clap hands and then suddenly a part of the ground shoot up. She thought it would something different but she'll take it. But she could tell by Edward's expression that he was surprised that his powers work. He grinned at this and the Heartless's feet disappear in a cloud of darkness.

_Slice!_

_Fwooh!_

_Thump!_

Sakura saw that Crona and Sora finish off the other heartless, while the stranger fell down. Edward put them back up to their knees.

"Hey, are you ok?" Edward asked them. The stranger opened their-no- it was Haelth that open her eyes. Sakura could tell because her eyes are back to normal.

"What? W-what happen here?" Haelth asked looking around. The stranger appears behind her and grabs her shoulders.

" _ **I fill you in later."**_ The shadow said.

"Wait I can understand you now!" Sakura said in surprise.

"Me too but why now?" Edward asked.

"What you guys didn't hear them before? Jeez, I thought you guys were smart ones." Haelth said deadpan. Next, she was seeing the stars and the night sky.

"Ow."

"That's what you get!" Sakura yelled at Haelth, who rubbing her head in pain.

"All of you are coming back to our house, and you better answer some questions," Edward ordered. Sora nodded, Haelth got up and whisper something to the stranger, Crona look nervous but nodded anyway.

"Followed us," Sakura said as led them to their house after order the guard to repair the gates.

* * *

_Traverse Town, Sakura's and Edward's house_

"Ok, can someone please explain to me what's going on?" Edward asked them. "How the hell you all got on this planet and what's with that?" He pointed at the stranger.

They smack Edward's hand away, _ **" I already told you blondie!"**_ The spirit snapped and talked to themselves, _ **"What is a spirit going to do to get some respect around here?"**_

Haelth herself laughed at the spirit misfortune only to stop when the spirit glare at her. Can the spirit take a joke?

"I don't know how I got here," Surprisingly Crona answer first, "I was pushing Maka out of the way from one of Medusa's attack and then I end up here." He answered sadly. Haelth felt pity for him.

"Don't worry," Haelth said, "I'm sure there's a way back home for you." She said giving a small smile. But Crona shies away from her.

"I got here because some jerk name Conner brought me here-" Sora was cut off the spirit grabbing his shoulders.

 _ **"You saw Conner?! Where is he?!"**_ Even if Sora couldn't feel the spirit's claws he took a step back from this action. "What are they saying? I can't understand you!" Sora replied back, stepping away from the spirit.

"What they're saying that they want to where you last saw this Conner guy," Haelth answered. She left out what the spirit wants to do to Conner once they get their claws on him. Some things were better off...unsaid.

Sora blinked at her and turned to spirit. He explained everything to them, how he was supposed to meet the king (who is a mouse.), how he met Conner (who is a crow), and how he got here. The spirit was silent when Sora explain everything to them while the others ask some questions. ("Your best friends are a duck and dog?")

 _ **"I see,"**_ The spirit let out a hiss, _ **"We must act quickly then,"**_ They turned to Sakura and Edward, _ **"If this is true then we must not waste any more time. Conner is the very reason why darkness has rising once again! I'm sure of it! He may be the reason why your worlds have fallen into darkness and he will do it again to another."**_ The spirit let their words sink in, before speaking again, _ **"We must stop him before he does something. Grab as many suppliers you can and we go to the last world he was in. There may be some clues where his base is."**_ Sakura and Edward nodded and rush off to get their stuff. While Sora and Crona looked confused.

 _ **"You tell these humans what I said, ok."**_ The spirit said to Haelth.

"Um...Sure!"

The spirit pause for a moment, before turning to Haelth, and said something that surprised the girl, _ **"And takes it easy ok?"**_ Haelth paused for a moment and then nodded. The spirit sinks back into her shadow.

Haelth told Sora everything and he nodded, "Ok, then I'll call from Leon and ask for them to send us a ship." He was going to make the call before Crona stops him.

"Can I come too?" Crona asked him. He's been silent for a while now.

Sora paused for a moment before answering him, "I have no problem with it but it dangerous. I'm not going to lie about that. You can sit out of this if you want."

But Crona shook his head, "I'm used to danger and I have to get to get back home. I have to get back to my friends." He said, in a grave tone of voice.

Sora had an understanding look on his face and walked over to Crona.

"Welcome to the team!"

Crona smiled at him.

**To be continued...**


	5. Chapter 5: Crash Course

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is all Sora's fault somehow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit: (1/25/2018) Just fixing some grammar issues.

_Morning, Outside of Traverse Town_

The gummi ship appears just as Sora said it would. Which Crona was thankful for because the sooner he can go the sooner he can get back home. He can only take so much craziness with this group. Edward, (who Crona quickly learned not to called him small or else.) Sakura, (who was busy trying to make a girl name Haelth to stay in Traverse Town.) Haelth, (Who didn't listen to Sakura and went with the group anyway.) and Sora who was honestly the only one Crona felt more comfortable with out of all of them. But Crona wants to go back home. She misses Maka and her friends. The last time he saw Maka, is when they were fighting Medusa and then...and then….

Crona grabs his head, in confusion. Why can't he remember what happened? It's like a black hole where his memories of the fight should have been. But no matter what Crona did she couldn't seem to shed some light on this black hole in her memories.

Sudden Crona felt someone grab his shoulders.

"Hey, Crona?" Sora questioned the young boy. "Are you ok?" He asked him.

'No, I'm not…' Crona confessed to himself. He was far away from home, in a land he doesn't know, with people he doesn't really know. He didn't how to react to something like this! Now Crona's only hope to get back home is with this group of strangers? Sure, they seem like really nice people but he was so nervous! But if Crona wants to get back home to his friends then he'll have to go with them.

"Yeah I'm fine," Corona said to Sora. Sora tilted his head and looked like he was going to say something to Crona, but walked away when he heard Edward calling for him. Crona had a feeling that Sora didn't buy his excuse.

"Umm... guys! What's that?" Haelth called out from outside the house. Crona and the others went outside to see what Haelth was pointing at. It looked like a shooting star at first but it got bigger and bigger until Crona could see clearly that it looks like a spaceship.

It was a... weird looking spaceship to say the least. It looks like building blocks from a Legos video game that Crona once saw little kids playing. The ship landed down right in front of them. But needless to say that Edward was not impressed at this.

"That...the spaceship? It looks like a damn toy!" Edward criticized, in a harsh tone of voice.

"Hey! The gummi ship is not a toy! It's very good spaceship that can travel at light-speed and I made myself!" Sora replied back, puffing out his chest.

"You built this?" Haelth asked, her face brightened up. "How did made this?" She asked Sora. Sora was about to answer her until he was cut off by an old creaky voice.

"Nope! I did a little lady." A voice revealed. Sudden hologram shows up in front of them and a certain old man was talking to them.

"Cid?!" Sora exclaimed in surprise.

"In the flash!" Cid grinned at them. "The king send us to go find ya! We check all the places you might end up in, and lucky we got your message." Cid explained. "We send this gummi ship to you to get you back Radiant Garden HQ."

"Thanks, Cid! But I'm bringing a few friends with me this time." Sora turned to the others. Cid followed Sora's gaze and spotted them. "Now Sora, you know about the world order..."

"Yeah, but they're not from this world. They lost their world and they needed to go back. Plus they might have a clue who is behind the disappearance of the worlds and who controls the heartless this time." Sora explained to Cid. He gives Cid looked that begs for them to come along. Cid paused for a moment and looks at the group. What seems like forever, which was not even 5 mins he finally spoke, "Ok they can come."

Sora and Haelth both grinned, while Sakura and Edward smile when no one else was looking. Crona had a strange mix of moods that he did not know how to deal with them. On one hand, this means that he can go home and see his friends again. But on the other hand he's going unknown territory, fighting who knows what, and with people, he doesn't know that well.

Needless to say, Crona was more nervous about this trip. But Crona got on the ship like the others did.

What Sora said was true when Crona first steps into the ship, it was bigger on the inside. There was the control room, a hallway that three different bedrooms, one that thinks are the bathroom.

"Neat." Haelth before taking off on the ship, or she would have if a hummer didn't hit her on top of her head.

"Ow!" Haelth yelped in pain.

Sudden two chipmunks (one of which was holding the said mullet) appeared right in front of them. "What's the big idea punk!?" A chipmunk with red nose said to Haelth, Crona and Edward jumped in surprised when they heard a chipmunk speak. "Yeah! You should wipe your feet before entering someone's home you know! What are you rising in a barn or something?" A black nose chipmunk said to Haelth holding a mullet.

"..."

"Did two just chipmunk talk to us?" Edward asked, breaking the silence.

"Oh good somebody else has noticed! I thought my mind was playing tricks on me."

"I don't know how to deal with talking animals!"'

"What you guy never have summons where you come from?"

After calming Crona down, the group got in the gummi ship. The group was looking around the spaceship while Sora talks to Haelth about the gummi ship.

"Can you really drive this ship?" Sakura asked Sora. This ship can go into space and Sakura didn't know that could really drive this ship.

"Can you drive a gummi ship?" Sora asked, shooting her a look. Sakura closed her mouth and didn't say anything, but she glared at Sora.

So when that was happening, Haelth decide to explore on her own. Walking down the hallway Haelth notice that there were five different were on each side of the hallway and one room at the end.

Haelth walked down the hallway to the door to take a peek. It looks like a control room, like one of the airships in Haelth's homeworld. There control room which has a wheel to move the ship while it was in the air, leveler to control the thrusters, and a bunch of buttons to do other stuff that Haelth wasn't sure they do. There was also two stairs that lead to a platform that has a bunch of levels and buttons too.

"What's this?" Haelth jumped in surprised when Edward appeared behind her.

"I think this is the control room, where they drive the ship," Haelth answered him. Edward gave her a look that said to her I-don't-believe-you.

"And how did you know that?" Edward asked.

"Well first off that the wheel to move the ship when it's in the air." Haelth pointed to the said wheel. "And those levelers could power up the thrusters so the ship can leave the planet. I don't what other buttons or what the lower platform is but maybe it's the ships weapons and the shield?" Haelth the last part was more Haelth talking to herself then Edward. Oh, how she loves to learn more about those things...

Edward raises one eyebrow. "This kind stuff it's part of my passion." Haelth blushed a bit when she said that.

"Hey, there nothing wrong with that. As long as you help people it's a good talent." Edward told Haelth.

Sudden they could hear the others coming right in this room.

"There you guys are!" Sora exclaimed when they find Edward and Haelth. "I see you guys found the control room." He walked up to them while the others behind him take a look around. Sakura looks at the control room with curiosity and shock. While Crona, on the other hand, had the same look in his eyes but at bit wary then Sakura.

"Is this how you get this ship to space?" Sakura asked Sora. The boy nodded, "Yep! And I'll show you!" He said as he got in the sent with the wheel. "Buck yourself up!" Immorality all the kids went to grab seats and locked themselves up.

Once they all bucked and in their seats, Sora started up the ship.

"Three!"

Haelth looked up at the sky with delight, while holding to Oliver's scarf around her neck.

"Two!"

Sakura, Edward, and Crona all have demanded look in their eyes as they look up at the sky.

"One!"

The ship launched into space and flying past the clouds, the sky, and until they were among the stars.

* * *

_Next Morning, Deep Space_

Sakura woke up the next morning, a little before the others woke up. This was normal for her, as Sakura was a morning bird. Plus there something she needs to ask the spirit.

So after finding the kitchen and getting some breakfast for herself. Sakura in her thoughts called out to the spirit, 'Are you there?' Sudden Sakura felt a cold chill as the spirit's claws grab her shoulders.

'What do you need?' The spirit asked Sakura.

"I want to know what we're up against. I want to know who is this Conner person, and how do you know him." Sakura questioned the old spirit. The spirit paused, for a second, "Ok, but in order to explain why Connor is a threat I need to explain what I'm am and how my kind came to be..."

"I'm am what is know as the Forgotten. A spirit that dies but cannot go their afterlife for what whatever reason. The longer a spirit can't go to their afterlife, the more they forget about themselves. We become a shadow of our former themselves." The spirit lets a hollow laugh. "We forget our names, faces, even what we look like before. But our emotions and bits of memories survive."

"I and older spirits remember living on a plant that was in a middle of a god's awful war. What we remember Connor fighting during the war, but one day he got captured by the enemy and was in one of their 'camps'. We don't know what happen to him but whatever it was it must have been bloody. He found his way out those death camps and return home to family. When he got there he killed his wife and kidnap his son Ignatius. When we saw poor Ignitus again, Connor turn him into a monster that can -for some reason- never die. It took brave soldiers and the gods themselves to find a way to stop Ignitus bloody rampage. Then they finally captured Connor and put on trial for his crimes. They thought that death was too good for him and so they seal him away to a place where no can find him, no one to be around him, and where he never die."

The spirit shook their head.

"Not that it matters in the long run. The war destroyed the planet and Connor place a curse on those who die, as an act of revenge. So those spirits can never find their afterlife and they become the first of the Forgotten. Now, these days Connor found a loophole his prisoner and gain a couple of followers causing more deaths and more spirits turning into Forgotten. Now he's looking for a way to break out of his seal."

Sakura was silent during all of that. What could she say after hearing that story? She felt disgusted by what Conner did to his family and felt pity for the old spirit. Before she could say anything a loud beep sound comes from somewhere, and the red light fills the room.

"That's the alarm!" Sora's voice snapped out of her confuse. Sakura leaps off her seat and runs to the hallway with the spirit dissolve into Haelth's shadow. The others were already there, dress and wide-eyed and they run toward the control room. Once they were there, the windows show another space ship far bigger than the one they have. Sora got into the control seat and started flying away from the spaceship. But only to get caught in a beam of light as soon as they made a turn.

Sudden hologram shows up in front of them but instead of Cid, it someone that only the spirit and Sora know.

"Hey, kid! Thought you seen the last of me huh?" A crow said gleefully as holding on a long red-haired man's shoulder.

"Conner!" The spirit jumped out from Haelth's shadow so fast that it made everyone in the room jump in surprise.

"...And I see that you brought that...freak with you. I have to say keyblader that your choice in your party is questionable to say at least." The spirit growled at Conner's words.

"YOU!" Surprising everyone Haelth shouted in rage. But it wasn't at Conner it was at the red-haired man. The said man, raise one eyebrow at the girl.

"Do you know this girl, Goro?" Conner asked the man. Goro himself shook his head. "Sorry sir I do not know this girl Conner but she does seem familiar." He answered in an emotionless tone.

"Lier! You're one of those assholes that attack me and my friends. Speaking of which...where are Oliver and Scott anyway? If done anything to them I'll-"

"You what? Try to kill me? Many have to try that, little girl and they were way stronger than you." Goro claimed in a tone that reeks of threats.

Before Haelth can make any threats, Conner cut her off.

"As much I would love Goro here, to skin that girl alive I'm afraid I have better things to do around here." Conner turned to Sora with a grin. "So Keyblader, I think that you better off without that freak at your side," Conner said, as Goro push a button.

Sudden another beam of light shoot down on Sora and Crona. Who was just happen to stand close to him? They couldn't move and the light shines brighter on them by the second.

"Enjoy Hueco Mundo, kids!" Conner said gleefully. The others didn't what to do, but the spirit took the matter into their own hands. They grab Haelth and throw her to where Sora and Crona are. Trapping her in the same beam they were in.

"Stop it! I don't want that freak's host with them!" Conner ordered Goro, who was trying to stop the teleport, but it was already too late.

Haelth, Sora, and Crona have teleported away to parts unknown.

Conner shake in rage, not caring that his talons were sinking into Goro's shoulder(which he didn't show any pain.) "You think you won freak? New flash you didn't! Now I'm going to destroy that ship and everyone in it!" Conner shouted as Goro push set of buttons. Edward and Sakura saw the cannons were now pointed at the ship and they begin to panic.

"What do we do?!" Sakura's wide eyes looked around for a way out while Edward looked at the controls. "I don't know." Edward tried to keep the panic from his voice but failing to do so. He tried turning the wheel but the ship won't turn, then Edward push every button he could reach but nothing happens.

'Not like this..' Edward thought trying to figure out a way to this death trap. Sakura too was trying to find a way out like Edward was but with no success.

"Over here!" Edward heard the squeaking voice of Chip. Both Sakura and Edward ran off to where the voice was. When they got into the hallway the trapdoor that below the ship was open. Sakura and Edward follow walked down the ship and there the strange machine was there and Chip and Dale working on the controls.

"Over here!" Dale said to them, pointed at the platform he and his brother was on. Connect to the platform was the roll bulbs that were gathering energy.

"What is this?" Edward asked them, as the light from the bulbs grow brighter and brighter.

"This is the teleporter. It will take us to the nearby world." Chip explained as the lights grew brighter. Edward and Sakura have their hopes up.

"What are we waiting for?! Let's go!" Edward yelled at them and Chip smile at him.

"Ok then! Here we go!" Chip said as he pushed the button. Beams of light shot down on them and teleport them away.

And it was good they did. If they have been a moment longer then Conner's cannons would have ripped them apart. Leaving nothing left, not even a speck of dust behind.

* * *

_Afternoon, Unknown_

Sora felt sick when he was teleporting to who knows his inside was coming out or something like that. Colors and lights flash in his vision so fast that it was Sora sick. But it ends in 5 minutes and sudden Sora felt throw across the sand like when he was training with Riku when he was younger.

Sora could tell that the other coming out of that portal as well, and they just feel as bad as he felt. Sora could hear panting and cough in the background as he tries to clear his head and not throw up.

Sora took this time to look around where they are. They were in the desert with nothing but or other rocks in sight. There were a couple of trees, but they were bare and lifeless. The moon was the only source of light they have and when Sora looks up he notices all the stars were blocked by clouds,

"Where are we?" Crona asked once she got over being sick. She felt scary, looking at the strange landscape and stick close to Sora as a result.

"Are the others alright?" Haelth asked, still looking a bit pale mostly the trip here. "They're still with those creeps!" Haelth babbled with panic clearly in her voice. While they only met, Haelth didn't want anything bad to happen to them because of Edward. Sakura and the chipmunks seem like nice people.

Sora didn't want anything bad to happen to them. But they have no way of knowing what happens to the others right now. Sora didn't think Conner would let them go, but he knows that Chip and Dale have a teleport in case something like this happens.

"Chip and Dale have teleported in the basement of the ship, in case something like this happens," Sora explained to them. "So they might be on a different planet right now. So they safe, but we need to figure where we are and how to contact them or Cid."

"But how can they do that?" Haelth questioned him. Worry was clearly on Haelth's and Crona's faces. They looked at him for answers, which Sora was little put off by this, but then thought that maybe Cid knew where they are because he did track all the gummi ship he made.

"Cid will find us because he has tracker the gummi ship and plus the others know we are coming. If we didn't show up when they know something is wrong and send a rescue party." Sora explained to them, trying to sound that he's sure that a rescue party would come. "But for now, we need to take care of each other until they get here."

Haelth and Crona nodded. Sora got up and walk north. He remembers that he saw a rocky area over there and maybe they could find a cave to take shelter in. Crona and Haelth followed him, keeping their eyes on them in case any danger was around.

* * *

_Afternoon, Unknown_

Lights and color flash in Sakura's vision for what seems like a few moments before it suddenly stops and Sakura saw the evening sky. Sakura could not feel the ground and instant only fell well air as she fell down from the sky, but lucky the ground wasn't that far away from them. But then again a bunch of trees was between them and the soft ground.

Sakura who has a deal with jumping from trees to the tree for most of her life landed on one of the branches safely. Edward, on the other hand, crashed right through the all of the branches to the ground.

"%!%!" Sakura flinched, as Edward curse up a storm as got from the ground. Sakura jumped down next to him and heal him up.

"Hold still!" Sakura hissed and she uses her chakra to heal him. "It's just… this energy feels so weird." Edward protested, feeling weird out as Sakura's chakra heals him. "Just do it!" Sakura demanded, finally done with Edward's actions. Which thank god he actually listens to her for once.

After healing Edward, they look around where the area they were in. They couldn't see anything past the trees and bushes, so Sakura decided to run ahead to get a better look around, but mostly it was to get away from Edward. But when she broke out of the clearing she comes across this weird black stones and she heard a noise and Edward calling out her name.

"Sakura!" Then there something hit her hard and throw her across the black stone where she hit her head and blackout.

**To be continued...**


	6. Chapter 6: Getting to Know the Neighborhood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this was late again. College and what not. But the good news is that I graduated from college! Another reason this took so long was that my beta-reader had to quit on me because it's his last year of college and he needs to focus on his work. Luck I found a beta-reader and her name is TyrantChimera. Who does a lot of good Megaman fanfiction You guys should check her stuff too. Anyways on with the show~

_Hueco Mundo, Night_

Sand, sand, and was all Sora could see so far in this world. Sometimes he could spot a rock or bare tree, but other than that this place is lifeless. Not a single soul to be found or heard besides Sora and his little group. Speaking of which, they were sticking close to him. Crona more so than Haelth. Haelth was looking around the place wanting to explore but was smart enough not go on her own and kept in Sora's sight. Crona, on the other hand, was way too close to Sora, which made him uncomfortable. He wasn't touching him or anything but was close enough that he could feel his breath on the back of his neck.

"Hey, Crona," Crona looked up and stopped when Sora spoke. "Y-yes?" Sora sighed, "Can you back away from me a bit? Your kind of crowding me here." Crona flinched and took a couple of steps back from the keyblader. "S-sorry." He apologized, looking down.

"Y-yes?" Sora sighed, "Can you back away from me a bit? Your kind of crowding me here." Crona flinched and took a couple of steps back from the keyblader. "S-sorry." He apologized, looking down.

Sora sighed, "Can you back away from me a bit? You're kind of crowding me here."

Crona flinched and took a couple of steps back from the keyblader. "S-sorry." he apologized, looking down. Sora felt bad when Crona had that sad look on his face. However, before Sora could say anything to Crona, Haelth's voice called out to them.

"Hey, guys! I found a cave!" Both of them turned to where Haelth was pointing at. Sure enough, there was a cave there that was big enough to house all of them.

"Good work Haelth!" Sora said enthusiastically as he and the others walked to it. "We can rest here until morning, and then maybe we can find someone to help us," Sora explained his plan to the others. At least that what Sora hoped that would happen.

As they walked into the cave there was a little light. So Sora stopped at the mouth of the cave and cast fire. Flames dance around the tip of the keyblade and lit up the dark cave. Haelth and Crona got behind Sora as they headed deeper into the cave.

Everything was going well for the group until they heard a growl come from deeper underground.

_"Grrruuaaarrr..."_

"Um...did anyone else hear that?" Haelth said quietly as her eyes darted. The hairs on Sora's neck stood up. What was in the cave with them?

" **What do we have here?"** Yellow peeked through the darkness. While they can't see the whole body of whatever that thing is is, they felt it shake the cave when it moved. " **It would seem that a couple of little snacks walked into my house. I guess lady luck is smiling at me today."** Suddenly the thing darted forward, with its mouth opened wide to swallow them whole!

The only reason why Sora, Haelth, and Crona lived to tell the tale was that Sora throws the fireball into the monster's mouth. The monster stops its attack and coughed uncontrollably. That's when the gang took that moment to get the hell out of there.

"Run!" Sora shouted, pushing the others in front of him.

"Oh God! Oh God!" Crona cried as he runs from the monster.

"Sora was that a Heartless?!" Haelth asked him while she was running away from the monster

"I don't think so! I never met a Heartless that can talk before!" Sora explained as they ran out of the cave. Just then the cave exploded, throwing the gang off their feet.

Sora quickly got back on his feet and summoned his keyblade. The monster, freed from the cave tried to stab him with its claw but Sora jumped out of the way. He twisted his body while in mid-air and slammed his keyblade down at the monster's arm, hard. It yelped and Haelth, who had summoned her spear, shot an electric ball at the monster's right eye, knocking the monster down.

" **You bitch!"** The monster roared, lifting itself off the ground and raced to Haelth. _'It's so fast!'_ Sora thought as he watched the monster. He tried to stop it with an attack but he has knocked aside a side by the monster. Sora quickly got back on his feet just in time to see that the monster had lunged towards Haelth.

"HAELTH!" Sora shouted as he raced toward Haelth's aid. Haelth herself had the common sense to dive out of the monster's path, but then Crona was in between them, blocking the monster's hand with his sword. Crona then pushed the monster back with so much strength that the monster was pushed away and landed right on its back.

_Flop!_

"Are you guys alright?" Crona asked them, his voice filled with concern. Haelth and Sora just looked surprised that someone so shy had so much strength that he could push a huge monster away.

" **Now you're going to get it."** The monster growled at them. It opened its mouth and a glowing ball of light was forming inside it. Once it was big enough the ball shot out of the monster's mouth and hit Crona. The force of the blast caused Crona to smash into Haelth and they rolled around on the sandy ground. Haelth quickly got up to her feet, while Crona got up but was dizzy from the fall.

"It would seem that you lost a couple of brain cells during that last attack," Ragnarok remarked as he appeared behind Crona's back, holding Crona's head still.

"I'm seeing so many stars here, Ragnarok. I don't know how to deal with it!" Crona replied as stumbled around the place.

The monster leaped at Crona with its jaws open wide to swallow him whole. Only to have Haelth throw another electric ball at the monster, knocking it off its feet _again_. Then Sora rushed at it from behind and swung his keyblade down at the monster at a lighting fast speed.

" _Bloody Needles!"_ Black blood reshaped into needles shot up and stabbed the monster in its chest, reappearing through the monster's back. Sora had to move to so he wouldn't stab himself. The monster fell to the ground with a big _'thump'_ and just lay there for a while.

"Is...it dead?" Haelth questioned, not taking her eyes off of the body. Sora narrowed his eyes and move closer to the body. He so close enough to the monster that he could just barely touch it. That's when it suddenly rose up, causing the kids to jump back. It tried to bite, but the kids had jumped back out of range. Failing its attack, it did the same.

" **You brats."** The monster growled at them but then fell down to its knees. Its wounds were fatal, but it was still threatening to them. **"If I'm going to die,"** The monster raised its claws in the air, **"then I'm taking you all down with me!"** It slammed its claw at the ground, the ground shaking as part of the desert lowered.

Sora tried to glide away and to reach the edge of the hole, but when he did it gave away too. Both Crona and Haelth, unable to glide, just fell in the newly formed hole.

"AHHHHH!" The gang screamed as they fell down. The monster laughed as the group dropped. The monster started away before falling down on the sandy ground. Its body started dissolved until there was nothing left of the monster at all.

_Hueco Mundo, Unknown, Night_

"Oof!" Crona landed on the sandy ground on his back. He carefully stood up and made sure nothing was broken. He sighed in relief that he was alright and looked around. Tall trees reached up above Crona's head and through the roof, they were in. There wasn't much of a light source here beside the hole that the monster made. It was colder here than it was above and it smells like a zoo. But the not single soul was heard in whatever they were. All in all, Crona didn't like this place and wanted to get out as soon as possible.

The Crona heard coughing behind him and he turned around to see Haelth picking herself up and dusting off the sand in her clothes. "That could have gone better." She said as she looked around, her back was turned from Crona.

Crona walked up to her and asked, "Um...are you ok?"

"Ah!" Haelth jumped a bit as she had not seen Crona creeping up on her. "Oh, Crona! I didn't see you there." Haelth said to him after she calming herself down.

"I'm sorry," Crona said to her, shifting his feet a bit.

Haelth must have felt he was uncomfortable so she about to try and comfort him but that's when she noticed something, "Hey where's Sora?" She asked looking around for him.

Crona nearly hit himself once he realized that he'd forgotten Sora. He looked around with Haelth but found nothing. No trace of Sora.

"You don't think he's dead right?" Crona asked her in an uncertain tone of voice.

"I don't think so...I mean we didn't see him die right?" Haelth stuttered, her eyes darted around the area. "He could be still alive, right? I mean we didn't see him die right?" She questioned him.

"No. I d-didn't see him get killed by the monster." Crona answered. He didn't use to people panicking around him. It was usually him that was doing all the panicking. But he tried his best to get Haelth to calm down, but Crona feels that Maka would have been better suited for to task than him.

Then they heard footstep coming to them. But they weren't just any normal footsteps. They sound _huge_.

_Stomp!_

"Oh, Crap! Haelth summons her spear. "What do we do?" Haelth asked Crona, her eyes widened and shaking, holding her spear.

Before Crona could say anything he was interrupted, "I say we fight!" Ragnarok said as he busts out of Crona's back. Which cause Haelth to jump.

"Holy crap! Warn me next time!" Haelth yelled at Ragnarok, who just gave her a pointed look.

"Like I care what you feel, you little shit!" Haelth's face was bright red and was about to tell him off, but stop herself when those footsteps getting closer to them.

" _ **Won si ton eht emit,"**_ The spirit sudden appeared behind Haelth, causing Crona to jumped. The spirit grabbed Haelth's head and turned her away from Ragnarok to where footsteps were coming from. _**"Sa hcum sa etah yas tub eht driew gniht si thgir. Ew t'nac ro edih, os. Ew thgim sa llew thgif."**_ Crona still can't understand what the spirit is talking about but Haelth seems to understand them well enough.

"You're right. You're right. Just me a mo-"

_Rrraaar!_

Haelth and Crona yelped as another monster step out in the open. Unlike the other monster they saw before, this one was bigger. Much bigger. It was so tall that it almost touches the ceiling of the area. Its mask has a long pointy nose that reminds Crona of a puppet mask he once saw in a town. To make matter into worse, there were five more behind the first one.

One of the monsters open its mouth and the kind of energy was gathering in it. Remembering what the last creature did Crona quickly got out of the way when the beam of light shot down to where he and Haelth were standing before. Out of the corner of his eye, Haelth moved as well, but before he could do anything else a giant hand grab him.

"Crona!" Haelth shouted in alarm. She tried to help him out but another monster tried to grab her as well but Haelth had to move out of the way in time. Crona tried to get out of the monster's grip but it only tightened its grip on him. This caused Crona yelped in pain, and panicked even more. Haelth couldn't help him as the monsters were herding her away from Crona and trying to eat her too. The monster that was holding Crona was lifting him and opening his mouth.

Crona sweated and panicked even more. He was moving around so much that the monster as having a hard time holding him. Crona managed to pull on his arm free and with it, his sword appears in his hands. With the slash, a purple aura appeared that ripped off the monster's arm clean off. The monster scream as it tried to stop the blood from flowing out of the stomp arm. But Crona didn't stop there. As he was falling he stab the monster's skin and drag it down with him as he was falling.

The other monsters took notice that one of the comrades were hurt and went to go help it. Haelth took this time to run to Crona so he and herself can get out of there.

"Crona we need to get out of here right now!" Haelth urged. But when Crona didn't move from his spot, he just looks at the monster with a mad look in his eyes. Haelth looked at him with a confused on her face. "Crona?" Crona didn't hear her. He wasn't even looking at her. He just stabs the monster again and again. Ignoring the cry of shock in Haelth's voice and the cries pain in the monster.

' _I can't understand you. You try to kill me. You try to_ _ **eat**_ _me.'_ Crona thought to himself. His vision went red as stabs the monster over and over again. He felt warm blood splash on his face and hair. _'Just die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die!'_

He felt someone drag him off of the monster and in a blind panic he pushed them off. He quickly turned around and raise the sword above his head to strike down on the said person. But stop when he saw was not a monster that stops him but Haelth. Looking at Crona with widened eyes and fear look on her face.

Crona stops himself. What was he doing? Was he so scared that he was going to hurt someone who didn't deserve it and was trying to help him? Before Crona could have come up with an explanation for his actions he notices that the group of monster where almost an upon them.

Then all of a sudden something darts a fireball hit the leading monster and falls down with a groan. Crona and Haelth looked and saw Sora appeared behind them with another man in a toe. The man himself was dressed in all black with a white slash. He had red hair but most of his face was cover by a skull.

Crona back away from the man looking at him with a scared look on his face. "It's ok Crona he's a friend." Sora testified.

"I'm Ashido Kano and if you want to live, you better follow me. There are more Hollows coming here." Ashido announced, in a gruff voice. Crona and Haelth didn't need to be told twice and with that, the group run away from the monsters. While Crona runs away he heard one the monster shrink and so he looked at him. What he saw shock him, other monsters were _eating_ the one that Crona has wounded.

The group disappears into the shadows. Away from the monsters and their prey. And hopeful to someplace safe.

_Hueco Mundo, Unknown, Night_

By the time the group arrived at the cave where Ashido lives in, they were beaten. Well, at least Haelth felt like it. While she can probably still keep going physical, her mental state was not that good. While monsters were common in the world that she lives it; Haelth didn't really fight that many monsters because she was still in combat school and she fought against a smaller monster there. Not ones here, that were bigger, faster, and smarter than the ones she used to! But besides being shocked Haelth and the others were all fine.

The cave that Ashido lives in was filled with equipment and tunnels. The cave they were in look like Ashido's room because the clothes and the fact there was a sleeping mat there. Ashido had some firewood there and set it up for the kids. The warm glow of the fire warms Haelth up. She and the other sit other the fire, calming them down after nearly getting eaten.

"So where did you all come from?" Ashido asked them once they were all calm down.

The question stops Haelth from the fire and looks the others. ' _Just how are they going to explain this?_ ' She thought to herself. Lying will be a bad move because Haelth can't lie for the life of her, and it might cause Ashido to distrust them and throw them out. But on the other hand, the truth seems so far-fetched that the Ashido might think they were lying. Haelth decides to let Sora do the talking because he travels the world to world. He knows what he is doing.

Sora look like he was thinking the same thing. "Well that's a long story Ashido, and we're tired now. Maybe tomorrow when the sun comes out we will talk about it." Ashido just looks at Sora with a confusing look on his face. "Now I know you guys aren't from around here. Hueco Mundo doesn't give the sun." Everyone in their group was surprised at this. "What do you mean there's no sun? Without the sun everything will die!" Haelth exclaimed, shock at what Ashido just told them. _'This has to be some sort of joke.'_ Haelth thought to herself, _'There's no way there's a desert here and there is no sun."_

But Ashido's face was serious, "If you don't believe me, then take a long rest. When you wake up tomorrow you will not find any sun." He tells them. At that moment Haelth yawned, "Sounds like a good idea. I'm beaten." Ashido look like he was going to say something but after deciding against it. "Ok then...there is some bed in the back of the cave here. But I do want an explanation on how you kids got here first thing when you guys wake up." He concluded. Sora nodded and with that Ashido show them where they were going to sleep.

Ashido lit a lamp for them left so they can get some shut-eye. There were sleep mats and blankets around for them. Other than that the room was bare but then again there wasn't like Ashido knew that a bunch was coming today and this was nice enough for the group.

The group got into bed and headed off into dreamland. All but Haelth, who just couldn't sleep because her mind was elsewhere. Thinking the monster, fighting, to Conner, to Crona's break down, to wondering where her friends are.

Haelth hopes that they are ok. Scott was a fighter in his own right, but sometimes he let his emotions get in the way and that's got him into a lot. Oliver was smart, but he let his ego get the better of him sometimes. Haelth try not to worry but, like her, they never saw real combat before. So that was also going against them. Plus, there were those assholes that attack them when they exploring the lab. What if they found them and hurt them or worse kill them? Also what Goro said to her really got under her skin. If he what he spoke was true then can she really save them, if Goro was as strong as he said he was?

Haelth shook her head. Worrying isn't going to help her. If wants to help her friends, then she needs to get stronger and get some rest. It took a while but Haelth finally got to sleep.

_Haelth's mind, Night_

When Haelth opened her eyes, what she saw was nothing but a black void. Strangely it was nice, but she starts questioning why she was here until a certain spirit appear.

" _ **Welcome Haelth,"**_ Red eyes appeared right in front of Haelth. Sudden the room shift from pitch black to forest area with the night sky above. Then the stranger's own body appear because they weren't blended into the background from the void.

"Hey, Stranger." While Haelth still doesn't know that spirit's name. (not they could remember anyway) Haelth decides to name the spirit, Stranger because it just fit, at least for now.

" _ **Hey kid,"**_ Stranger said. _**"I need to talk to you about something and your two friends here."**_

Haelth heard rush in the bush in front of them, and Edward and Sakura come out of it.

"Edward? Sakura?" Haelth couldn't believe what she was seeing. She walked toward them and pitch Edward's cheek to check if he was real.

"Hey quit it!" Edward snapped, hitting Haelth's head with his fist.

"Ow!" Haelth yelped in pain as she falls down to the ground. Sakura rolled her eyes and help Haelth up. "You shouldn't have done that." She told Haelth, who blush in embarrassment.

"Ok, ok I deserved it. But I had to know that you guys were real and not figurative imagery. Where have you guys been! The last time we saw you guys were on that ship." Haelth asked them. Edward and Sakura each other.

" _ **Actually I want to know for myself."**_ The Stranger added in.

"Well, it went like this..." Edward begin...

_To be continued._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's a wrap! Once again thanks for tyrantchimera for beta-reading. The next chapter is going to take a while because I need to find a job and other things. So check that follow up button or just review. Truth be told as long as you just reading this is enough to keep me going. So thank you. If want more news about me or the fanfiction. I have a Tumblr and DA where you can see more stuff from me.
> 
> Edit: 1/27/2018 Just fixing some grammar issues.


	7. Chapter 7  You Had One Job

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meanwhile with Sakura and Edward.  
> Edit: 9/5/2018 Just fixing any spelling and grammar issues.

_Karakura Town, Kurosaki Clinic, Morning_

"It all started when Sakura got hit by a car."

Sakura first thought she was dead and the grim reaper was taking her to heaven. That thought went quickly when gone away Sakura woke up with a sharp pain in her head. Dead people can't feel pain.

She tried to open her eyes but a bright light forced her to close them. Sakura opens her eyes again but slowly this time. Her vision slowly went back too normal and she realized she was in a hospital. The white walls, the blue cards, and the clean smell all pointed that out. Or she hoped so. Different worlds have different rules and cultures after all.

"Oh! You're awake," A young female's voice appears on her left. Sakura looked at the doorway to where the voice was coming from. It was a young girl wearing a nurse outfit. Herself look about 10-13, give or take. She has short light blonde hair, with short bangs hanging over the right side of her forehead. She also wore a red hair clip on the left side of her head. Her eyes are dark brown and had a soft look to them.

"You got hit by a car. But lucky for you, your friend brought you here." The girl informed her in an appealing tone of voice.

' _How clumsy of me'_ Sakura thought to herself. And she calls herself a ninja. At this rate, she will be nowhere powerful enough to help her new and old friends. Maybe Sasuke was right and she was useless. She stops her thought process when she noticed the girl was looking at her with a questionable look in her eyes and she hasn't said a word to her besides just looking at her hands looking sad.

"Oh sorry! Just lost in my own thoughts here," Sakura apologized to the girl, as she rubs the of her head blushing a bit. _'Way a go Sakura. Now she thinks you're crazy!_ ' She thought to herself. She looked around to see hoping to see where Edward was but much to her disappointment he wasn't there.

"Have you seen a boy around my age? Has blond hair? Golden eyes? Short but will throw a that huge tantrum if you ever call him that?" Just as Sakura said that she could hear Edward's voice down the hall.

"She awake yet!" Edward's voice was so full of concern her that it really did touch her heart.

The girl giggled, "Yeah he's here. I'll go and get him for you." The young nurse ran to the door, only to stop as if she forgot something.

"Oh!" The girl sudden said and turned around, "I'm Kurosaki Yuzu." She introduced herself.

"I'm Haruno Sakura." Sakura introduced herself, with a smile. Yuzu smile back at her before turning to leave in order to get Edward.

After a few second Edward came in with Yuzu. He had a worried look on his face, as his hands were shaking and his pupil were small. He went to Sakura's side followed by a dark-haired man wearing a white-lab-coated. _'He must be the doctor.'_ Sakura thought herself. Before she could take a good look at him, Edward hit her on the top of her head.

"You idiot!" Edward yelled at her in a brittle tone of voice. His face was flushed and his hands were in a fist form, shaking.

"You could have been killed! Why didn't you stop when I told you!" Edward snapped at her. Sakura knew it was her fault that she in this hospital like this, and Edward is only scolding

her out of concern. But her stubbornness and pride weren't having any of it.

"Well how was I was supposed to know what a car is?! Where I come from we don't anything like that running around the place." Sakura covers her mouth as soon as she realized what she just said. Oops; she wasn't supposed to reveal that she wasn't from around here. That will make things complicated. Edward seems to have the same train of thought, as his eyes were widened in shock and quickly turned to the doctor who had a questionable look on his face.

"You…don't know what a car is?" The doctor raises an eyebrow at them. Sakura was thinking of an answer but Edward beat her to the punch.

"Well, you see sir. Sakura here come from a country that doesn't have much technology. We were pen pals and she wanted my country's technology first hand. So I got here just today, but I guess she got little too excited and run into the streets. And that's when she got hit by the car." He lied to the doctor, with a straight face.

The doctor was silent for a few moments, and Sakura and Edward were starting to get worried. Did the lie not work? But then their worry turned into confusion when the doctor starts crying. "To want to see how technology work in our country and only got hurt by it. It's-" Sudden he burst into tears, "It's so cruel!"

'This guy is emotional.' Sakura and Edward had the same thought as sweatdrops from the back of their heads as they watch the doctor crying.

Sakura turned to Edward when she was sure the doctor wasn't looking at them and whispered into his ear, "You let this guy heal me?" She said in a deadpan tone of voice.

Edward just gives her a deadpan stare and whispered back, "I had to get help and this was the closest clinic I could find. I didn't know the doctor was this." He glances back at the doctor, "emotional."

Sudden the doctor's head turned to Edward so fast that Edward felt whiplash just look at him, "You should have kept a better eye on your friend here! She was lucky she only got a bump on the head and a dislocated shoulder. It could have been a lot worse if the driver was going fast." The doctor told him.

Edward looked down, his brows folded. He opened his mouth but stop and, he looked at Sakura, his expression softens. He clearly was worried about her and blamed himself for what happened.

Sakura couldn't let Edward be blamed for her stupid mistake, "Don't blame him, sir." Both the doctor and Edward looked at her.

"It's my fault I got hurt. Not Edward. I was the would go on ahead without him" She gulped shaking her head, "So don't blame Edward, sir. If anyone is to blame, is me and me alone." Sakura bowed her head.

Edward looked at her with a small smile on his face. Which Sakura gave one back. Friends stick together after all.

The doctor bust out into tears again, "What a cute couple!" That got them both Sakura and Edward fell over in with their mouths open in shock. Once they got over their shock, Sakura and Edward both glared at the doctor and they both shouted at the same time.

"Me with her?!"

"Me with him?!"

"As if!" They both glared at each other's after they finish their sentences. The doctor looks back and forward between the two wondering who's going to make the first move. Then somebody else stepped into the room, causing Edward and Sakura to stop glaring at each other and look at the newcomer.

"Is everything alright here?" Questioned the newcomer. The most distinguishing feature on the newcomer was his spiky orange hair. He was also fairly tall, had a lean-built young man with peach skin and brown eyes. He frowns, but from what Sakura could tell he wasn't mad. In fact, he was just annoyed.

"Dad, you're not bothering the patients again. Are you?" The orange-haired man glared at the doctor-his father.

"My son! How could think so cruelly of me?!" The doctor cried out in disbelief.

The newcomer just gave his father a deadpan stared and answered, "Yes."

This caused the doctor to bust out into tears and cry out in shock, "My own flesh and blood have betrayed me!" In response, the newcomer hit his dad on the back of his head.

"Don't say stupid things!" Barked the newcomer. Which cause the father to punch his son in the face. Soon a fight broke out between them.

Sakura felt a headache creeping in as father and son were fighting. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Edward pinch the bridge of his nose and sigh. Seems he too was getting sick of this. After a few seconds of fighting both Sakura and Edward just had enough of family fighting.

"Will you the both shut up and get the hell out of here?!" Sakura and Edward screamed at the duo. Father and son just look shocked at this and then saw the mad glare from both Sakura's and Edward's eyes. Well, the doctor seems to notice. The son, on the other hand, glared right back at them and was about to tell them off before the doctor stopped him. The son raised one eyebrow at his father's actions, the father just shook his head in response. As if to say it's not worth it.

"We'll leave you two alone now. If you need any help just call me; Isshin or my son Ichigo here." He told them, grinning as he swings arm around his son lead him out of the room.

The sounds of the father's and sons arguing grow fainter and fainter until it stopped. Now that they were alone, Edward turned to Sakura and told her, "Ok, this is what's going on…"

* * *

_Karakura Town, Afternoon_

Edward was walking down the street with Ichigo and his sisters. In each of their arms were bags of groceries. While the Kurosakis were nice enough to heal Sakura even though they didn't have enough money to cover her bill and no place to stay, the family helped out the newcomers by letting them stay at their house. At least until they could get back on their feet that is. But feeling guilty about being basically a freeloader was not helped by the fact Ichigo and Karin made comments about it. Because of that Edward decides to help the family out.

Isshin and Yuzu already were already warming up to him and Sakura. Karin and Ichigo, on the other hand, didn't believe them. Karin seemed to not care, but Edward had a feeling she did after she glared at him when she was sure he wasn't looking at her. Ichigo made very _clear_ that if he or Sakura were a threat to his friend then he'll strike them down without a second thought. Which Edward had respect for, he too knew the value of family and wanted to protect them from dangers.

Edward was so lost in his thought that he didn't notice that Yuzu was walking beside him now, "So Edward," Yuzu said knocking off Edward's train of thoughts. "How do you like Karakura Town so far?" She asked him in an appealing tone of voice.

Edward thinks about how he should answer Yuzu's question. With the time Edward spent at Karakura Town, his friend got hurt, then living with this crazy family, and said family guilting trip him into working for them.

"It's... nice so far," Edward answered her with a forced smile. Yuzu didn't seem to notice and smiled at him. She started talking about all the interesting things you could do in Karakura Town.

Finally, Karin pulled her twin sister away from Edward.

"Yuzu leave him alone. I hardly think that Edward wants to go exploring without his friend coming along." Karin told Yuzu. Noticing that Edward wasn't paying any attention to what Yuzu was saying and figure to give the poor guy a break.

Yuzu looked down and away from Edward in shame of herself for thinking about that, "Oh right. Sorry, Ed." She apologized to him.

"It's ok," Edward said, gave Yuzu a small smile. It would take Sakura a couple of weeks to get back her feet. But with her chakra, she can her feet in no time but after talking about they debating about it for a while, and then they come up with an idea that Sakura will use her chakra little by little during a week so that was they get early to search for the others. They just have to make an excuse that Sakura was just fast at healing

_Boom!_

Sudden a loud booming noise cause the group to jump. Ahead of them, in the sky, a black smoke was flowing up in the sky. Leaving the once peaceful atmosphere to a tense one.

"W-what just happened?" Edward demand, looking at the family. Before Yuzu or Karin said anything to him, Ichigo leaves his bags on the street.

"You guys go home. I'll check it out." Ichigo called over his shoulder as he races to where the smoke was. His sisters looked at his running form of alarm and fear.

"Ichigo waits-" Yuzu called out for her brother but he was already gone. She looked down but then her sister put her hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry Yuzu, Ichigo will come back soon," Karin concluded picking the bags that Ichigo left behind. While Karin was worry about her brother as much as her sister, she knows that Ichigo can handle this himself.

Edward, on the other hand, had no idea what causes that explore, or if Ichigo really should be going there. So he did what any normal person who does. He ran after the person who is probably going to get himself hurt and bring him back to safety.

"Edward!" It was Karin that shouted in surprise this time. As Edward left his bags with the girl and took off after Ichigo.

Edward called over his shoulder as he ran to where Ichigo was heading, "I'll check on him! Just in case!" With that, he disappeared into the shadows of the buildings.

Yuzu bite her lip, "You think they're going to be ok?" She asked her sister.

Karin sighed, "Don't worry Yuzu, Ichigo is strong so he can care for himself. As for Edward, he seems to have a good head on his shoulders and even if he gets into trouble Ichigo will help him out." She glared at the bags that her brother and Edward left behind to her. "But They better makes it up to us."

* * *

_Karakura Town, Shopping District, Afternoon._

By the time Edward got to where the smoke was almost everyone in the area was out. Only people who come in, where trained professions who held these type of accidents or people who so lachesism that they can't help themselves. And Edward was one of those fools that was going into the chaos.

Bricks were scatted on the street, with tables and chairs overturned. People were running and screaming. In the center of it all was a monster with a white mask on its face. It was walking toward the people, licking its mouth Before Edward can do anything, Ichigo sudden appears in front of the monster with a _whoosh_ sound and slash the monster across the chest with a huge sword.

"Ichigo! What the hell are you doing?!" Edward shouted at the other. This act causes Ichigo to almost trip as he circles around the monster and looked back at Edward in shock.

"You can see me?" Ichigo asked Edward as if he wasn't supposed to see him even if he staying there in broad daylight. (But if a normal person saw this. It looks like Edward was talking to himself here.) He dodged a fist that the monster threw at him. That move left Ichigo an open to use. He swings that big sword and clops off the monster's hand, with no problems.

_Splat!_

The monster roared in pain, and where his hand was as the wound was bleeding all over the place. Ichigo ignored this and turned to Edward with narrowed eyes.

"What the seven hells are you doing here?!" Ichigo scowled at him. The monster charged at Ichigo, but he disappeared with _whoosh_ sound and slash the monster across the back, knocking it down with a _thump_ sound.

"What am _I_ doing? What are _you_ doing?!" Edward challenged Ichigo as he walking toward him. The monster tried to get up but Edward quickly punches it in the head as he walked past it. The monster's eyes rolled back to its head and laid back down.

"Where did you get that outfit and sword from. And what the hell is this thing?" Edward asked him.

Before Ichigo could answer him, the monster sudden raise up and grab Edward.

" **Will you both of you shut up and stop acting like I'm not here?!"** The monster roared at them. It started to tighten his grip on Edward, which is making it harder for him to breath. He was so close that he could smell the monster's odor which smells like rotten meat.

" **Now Shinigami,"** It sneered at Ichigo who glared right back at it, **"You're going to let go and I won't eat this little pipsqueak here."** It threatened him.

' _Pipsqueak,'_ Edward snap up as that word slip past the monster's lips. Whatever it wants from Ichigo didn't matter. What does matter is showing this mask freak what's good! He felt the monster's grip loosen up a bit as he was making threats to Ichigo and Edward slip two of his arms free. Quickly he claps his hands together and touches auto metal his arm. Blue lightning flashes so brightly that everyone had to close their eyes and when it clears up Edward right arm had a blade an attached it. He stabs the monster's risk, which caused the monster to yelped dropped Edward and then he quickly jumped away from the monster.

Ichigo took this chance to dart forward and slice the monster's mask right in the middle with his sword. The monster made one last scream and it disappeared. The Ichigo turned to Edward with a glare.

"You better explain what the hell you did." He advised in a tight tone of voice.

Edward glared back, "You first."

They glared at each other waiting for the other to make a move.

* * *

_Karakura Town, Kurosaki Clinic, Night_

"And that's what happened," Edward and Ichigo explained their stories to Sakura. Edward stands from right on the side of Sakura's bed while Ichigo stands in the front of it(with a normal outfit.) Sakura closed her eyes, fold her arms together and let out an 'hmm' sound as think about what the boys told her. After a few moments of silence, Sakura broke it with a question.

"Can you repeat that again?" She asked them. This caused Edward and Ichigo to fell down in comedy fashion.

"What didn't you understand?" Edward inquired in disbelief.

"Yeah, we explain everything clearly to you!" Ichigo agreed with Edward.

Sakura let out a huff in annoyance, "No you didn't. You guys just come in here and _you_ told me that Ichigo here has something to tell us." She glared at Edward. "And then Ichigo said me and Edward got to come clean." She glared at Ichigo who looked away. "And then you both start talking at the same time because both of you don't want the other to go first." Both Edward and Ichigo shifted their feet and both of them blush in embarrassment.

"Well-I-um," Both of them stammered, which made Sakura even madder. Then finally she brought her fist down on the arms bend.

_Crack!_

Both Ichigo and Edward jump back in surprise. Ichigo looks at the arms bend and notice and dent in the metal and her fist wasn't damaged at all. What the actual hell?

She took a deep breath and sight, "Ok you," She pointed at Ichigo, "You go first."

"No way! You guys living under my fa-" Ichigo stopped at mid-sentence as Sakura give the evilest glare ever.

He gulped, "Fine. I'll talk." Ichigo hissed.

Ichigo told them that monster that Edward and he fought was a Hollow. A spirit that stays in the human world for too long and becomes a monster who eat other souls and humans. A Soul Reaper's job was to hunt down Hollows and to also help souls move on to the afterlife.

"And that's it," Ichigo said after finishing his story. There a couple of seconds of silence between the group. With Sakura and Edward thinking about what Ichigo has told them and Ichigo look at the both of them. Wondering what's going on in their minds.

"Makes sense." Sakura comment and Edward nodded.

Ichigo was taking back by this, "Wait, what? You guys just accept this?" His eyes wielded in surprise.

Both Edward and Sakura tilted their heads Did they said something weird?

"Is something wrong?" Sakura asked, narrowing her eyes.

"It's just...well I thought you guys wouldn't believe me," Ichigo answered to them. Acatalepsy was written all over his face.

"Well, I _literally_ fought that Hollow you were talking about," Edward replied with a matter-of-fact tone of voice.

"And I have seen weirder stuff in my world. So Hollows and Soul Reapers are not hard to believe." Sakura pointed out, crossing her arms.

"Your world?" Ichigo questioned them, narrowed his eye a bit.

Sakura sighed and pitch her nose, "You might want to sit down for this." Ichigo raises one eyebrow but sits down anyway.

Sakura explains to Ichigo there are multiple worlds out there and how she and Edward from two very different worlds. How they got here on a gummi ship and how Conner crushes it along kidnapping their friends.

Ichigo just stared at them with a wide eye, "So," After a few moments of silence he finally starts saying something, "You're telling that that you guys are from another world that was overrun by this 'darkness'." He said, using air quotes on the word darkness.

Sakura and Edward nodded.

"And that some guy name Conner destroyed your ship and kidnap your friends, with a help from some chipmunks you escape."

They nodded again.

"And they're somewhere in this world but you have no idea where they might be."

They nodded again.

There were a few moments of silence before Ichigo broke it, "I don't believe in you!" With that he slams his foot to the ground, causing lose items to shake.

Edward and Sakura just stared at him in disbelief and lower their eyebrows. Edward was the first one to make a move by grabbing Ichigo's front shirt and drag him to his eye level.

"What? Didn't think I call your bullcrap." Ichigo challenged him, grabbing his hand that was on his shirt and pull it off.

"What do you mean 'what'? Sakura asked, confused by his actions. They told him the truth like they wanted. And yeah is farfetched but so was his story and they believe him!

"Yeah sure there may be some other worlds out there but a darkness that destroying them and people with strong enough hearts can live through it and transported them to other worlds?" Ichigo objected, pressing his lips into a frown.

"Even if that was all true. Which I highly doubt. You guys have no evidence what you guys claim to have." Ichigo told them.

Both Sakura looked down, brows furrowed. How are they going to prove this one? As some sort of god was listening to them, they heard a familiar squeaky voice called out from the open window.

"There you guys are!" A familiar high-pitched called for Sakura and Edward. They turned to the window where the voice was coming from and sure enough there were two chipmunks there.

"Chip! Dale!" Sakura gasped in surprise but quickly smile at the brothers. She runs over there, with her cast that was on her arm, leading down to their level.

"How did you guys get here?" Asked Edward as run toward the window with Sakura. Not that he was graceful or anything. But seriously where were they?

"After the ship crash, we were in a small park without you guys around. We went looking for you but we couldn't ask anybody because of the world order. But we did find you when we passing by this house." Dale explained. The trio blush realized how loud they were. (1)

"Well, we glad to see you," Edward said, giving Ichigo a smug expression. Which cause Ichigo to look away, blush.

"What's with them?" Chip asked.

"Well, you see…" Sakura begins.

* * *

_Haelth_ _'s mind, Night_

"And that's the whole story," Edward explained. Haelth cover her mouth holding back a laugh, while the shadow creature (he still doesn't know what to call them.) just look at them with an amused look in their eyes.

"Looks like we weren't the only ones that couldn't keep the secret." Haelth laughed to the spirit.

 _ **"To be fa**_ _ **ir I didn**_ _ **'t think you guys could have to keep that big of a secret for that long. But I would think of less thought you kids can keep a secret for more than a day."**_ The spirit rolled their eyes. Haelth shriek back but Sakura and Edward held their ground.

"Hey! You tried to do that when you throw into a world without any knowledge about it!" Edward pointed his finger at the spirit's chest.

The spirit calmly waves them off _ **, "I know it's hard. But you need to be more careful! Your headstrong attitude may come back to hurt you one day."**_ The spirit lectured. Edward presses his lips together, not saying a word. Not because he couldn't think of a way to say anything back or didn't have courage. (He already come with so many insults and words to poke holes in their logic) No, it was because Sakura beat him to the punch.

"He only told Ichigo the truth because he caught fight a Hollow with his powers and he only did that because he was worry about Ichigo. Edward had to do something and I would do the same thing if I was in his place." Sakura told the spirit off. Edward felt grateful for Sakura defecting him, so he pats her shoulder in a sign that was grateful for her. Sakura turned to him and gave a small smile.

She peeks out between Edward and Sakura. "So yeah. What's this about training?" Haelth said trying to breaking up this little fight they were having. (And to get the story back on track.)

The spirit looked away seemly embarrass and coughed, _**"**_ _ **Yes, well. Like I said because your minds are linked so you can visit each other dreams and teach some of your technique to each other. Like I said I can help you adopted new power sources and transfer them into the energy source you used to. This may you having new powers and losing some depending on the world you're on. But as for learning how to use those powers is up to you. You can always use the same power as my host or other guardians. So long as isn't a bloodline or special power that only a certain person can use like Sora's keyblade. But you can use his magic if he was a guardian. Plus, this will get the time to talk and get to know one and another. Build up your bond. Sometimes my host and their guardians can read each other minds even if they're in other words. Of course that a rarity because you have really trust someone to let into their minds.**_ _ **"**_ The spirit explained. The trio eyes look surprised. Can they really can do those things?

"Why can't you pass bloodline power to other guardians?" Sakura asked them.

"And why is Keyblade so special?" Edward added, raising one eyebrow.

The spirit shook their head, _**"I can't adopt a power is passed down from offspring to offsprin**_ _ **g. That thing is beyond my control. As for the keyblade, it's a weapon that pretty much has a mind of its own. It chose its owner and they the only ones that can use it.**_ _ **"**_ They explained to Sakura and Edward.

Edward narrowed his eyes, "What can a weapon have a mind of its own? Last time I check Sora's keyblade wasn't alive and talking to us." He pointed out.

"Yeah, Stranger that's kinda far out there," Haelth add.

"Stranger?" Edward raises an eyebrow.

Haelth's face reddens at a bit, "Yeah, that's what I'm calling them until I can think of a good name." She explained.

The spirit pitches their nose, _**"I told you kid it's not that impartment kid."**_ If the spirit thinks that it was going to make her stop then they were wrong.

"I have to call you _something_! Just saying 'spirit' or 'hey you' isn't really going to cut it!" She pouted.

"I have to agree," Sakura step forward, "If we are to work as a team then at less know for a name, and because you don't then let us make a name for you." Edward nodded in approved.

Haelth smiles at Sakura and turned to the spirit with a smile on her face.

 _ **"Fine, have it your way,"**_ The spirit sighed, but a ghost of a smile did appear on their faces.

"Now we got that out of the way. Let's train so we can beat the darkness and reclaim our homes back!" Edward proposed. Sakura smiled approved at his choice of word. While Haelth gives him a pointed look and crosses her arms.

"And find my friends," Haelth added.

"That too."

" _ **And stop Conner."**_ The stranger also added.

"Of course." Edward acknowledged although he needs more knowledge about what's going on between Stranger and Conner.

" _ **So anyway let's start with training."**_ Stranger said, trying to get things back on track. _**"I want you all to practice some fighting moves at each other. We need to know where your strength lays and what your weakness is."**_ They explained to them.

Sakura and Edward nodded. It makes sense to them. Haelth looks nervous with shifting her feet around but understand as well. From what Edward understand, Haelth has the less combat experience than the rest of them. But even then she going through this because this because her friends are in danger. She earns some Edward respect because of that, but she needs to pull her own weight if she wants survival. So Edward and Sakura are not going to pull any punches.

Edward and Sakura turned to Haelth, "Well then let's get started" Haelth gulped nervously and summon her spear. As soon as that happens Sakura and Edward _attack_.

* * *

_Hueco Mundo, Forest of Menos, Night_

Little did the group know about it, a group of hollows gathering around. Not too far away from where Sora's group camping out. They come in so many shape and sizes, but the largest out of all of them were hollow called Nicolas.

He was large jackal-like hollow, with cold yellow eyes. Adjuchas class hollow as a show that his body was cover in bone armor then the usual black body bone-like that any old hollow has. His paws shaped like draggers. And for some odd reasons he had a bone like bat wings on his back. But they weren't made for flying, they were made for grabbing prey and pinning them down so he used his teeth and claws to stab and cut them to death. There was the only problem that he has at the moment. And that is damaged right paw. Which look crooked.

He got it while trying to ambushed Ashido Kano when he was fighting a bunch of Gillian type hollows. Nicolas thought that this would be an easy kill and he'll be the hollow that finally he that brought down the immortal soul reaper. But Ashido didn't live for years Hueco Mundo by pure luck. He killed the Gillians quickly and injured Nicolas in the process.

Usually, that would be a death sentence to a Hollow. In fact, some Menoes tried to kill him a while ago. Lucky for Nicolas they weak and stupid Menoes. So when he kills and eaten their leader. Which pretty made him into the leader of the small Menoes pack. So Nicolas plans on using these Menoes to get his revenge on Ashido. He also gathers up other hollows that had a bone to pick with Ashido for one reason or another.

Nicolas and other high ranking Hollows in their little pack sit in a circle. They were eating some low ranking Hollows that disappoint them on their last hunt. Every time a piece of meat fall to the ground, a Meno who walk up slowly and when the high rank looks away to steal that small piece of meat. Of course when he got back with it the other Menoes who beat up that Menos steal that meat. One small Meno that was approach higher ranks of hollows walk slow and with his head bow so low that he was almost touching the ground.

"I have some new regarding Ashido." The Meno said to them, look as meek as he possibly can. One wrong move and Nicolas and other Adjuchas will kill and eat him.

"Speak up!" Nicolas ordered, causing the Meno to stink back at his loud voice.

"We spotted a bunch of Gillians attacking these other humans you see, and Ashido came around to save them." Before the Meno can continue farther, one of the higher up Adjuchas cut him off.

"Are you sure those were humans? And not a soul reapers or plus? (2) No human can come in Hueco Mundo on their own." The Adjuchas question him. This made the pack worried. If another soul reaper was here, then killing Ashido will be harder to pull off.

The Meno turned his gaze toward the Adjuchas and shook his head, "We don't think so, sir. They didn't wear the usual outfits that other the soul reaper has. They can't be pluses either because they don't have a chain on their chest." (*) The Meno told him. This put the pack at ease before wonder just who these group of strangers are.

"A hollow must have taken them into Hueco Mundo for a meal and Ashido must have saved them." One of the other Adjuchas comment. Before the other Adjuchas could challenge that theory, Nicolas cut them off.

"That group don't matter. Humans are weak against Hollows. They are not a threat." Nicolas told them, "What does matter if the Meno find where Ashido finds his hideout. He's a bigger threat to us hollows." The other Adjuchas glared at him but didn't say anything. Nicolas was right; he humans really don't matter really. What does matter is where Ashido little hiding spot is located.

"Yes, we did leaders! We actually find the bastard's hideout!" Meno told Nicolas, proud of what he and his friends have done.

"You make sure you weren't spotted right?" Nicolas glared at the Meno.

The Meno shrink back in fear, "O-of course not a leader! We make sure we weren't spotted and keep our spiritual level low so we won't be found." He stuttered, trying to calm down his fear.

Nicolas smirk, "Good. Now that we know where Ashido's hideout is, we can launch the ambush!" The pack cheered at this.

"Nicolas, should we wait until we get more allies?" One of the Adjuchas questioned. Nicolas shakes his head, in frustration. He didn't like to be questioned. But he can't kill the other Adjuchas that would make lose his allies that he works so hard to get.

" _Because_ we don't have time to look for more allies! We already give out a word that we are going to kill Ashido for months now. So everyone in this area had a chance. Plus, we got little time to wait around before Ashido decides to move his hideout again." He explained to other Adjuchas.

He closed his eyes, "No. We need to attack now before he has a chance to flee." Nicolas opened his eyes, glaring at those who would question. His logic was solid. Ashido change hideout a lot and they did miss their chance to attack last time.

No question Nicolas because they know he was right. One brave Meno asked Nicolas, "Do we attack tonight Nicolas?"

Nicolas waves his paw, "No. Tomorrow after he leaves his hideout we set up our traps and then," He jumps on the one of the bigger rock in the area and declared, "WE ATTACK!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1-Sakura, Edward, and Ichigo are loud people. Just watch some scenes in their animes. You see what I'm talking about
> 
> 2-Pluses are regulars souls in the Bleach world.
> 
> And that's it for now! Hopefully, the next chapter will be here faster but that probably not going to happen anytime soon. So follow this story check out my Tumblr for updates.
> 
> Thanks for the reviews and follow/favorites
> 
> Like from Captain Imaginat who give a whole lot of suggestions to what worlds the Rogue Crew should go too. But that wouldn't happen until the sequel but I will take you suggests to heart. For more details, I made a Tumblr post about it: www. firedragonx. tumblr post/ 170506868803/ captain-imaginat-from-fanfiction-wrote-down-a-lot


	8. Chapter 8: Sora Makes a Choice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone in this chapter makes poor life choices or the afterlife. Depends on which one you want to talk about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's up to people. Back with a new chapter from a new beta-reader name Nitty on discord. Btw Captain Imaginat I can't add those series because I watch/play them. As for the Pokemon movies, I don't think I going to use maybe after I make ask-blog for this fanfic series and do a Pokemon AU I would. But no plan for those ones.

_Haelth's Mind, Late Night_

"Ouch!" Haelth yelped in pain as she hit the ground hard, on her butt. The ground itself had cracked from the impact when she landed. She was lucky this was part of the dream world and not the real world or otherwise, she would've been in some _serious_ trouble.

The Stranger explained that because this is a dream that the trio couldn't get hurt, but it made very clear that they weren't using any killing moves because the shock could wake them up. But it encouraged them to go all out because this is a dream and as long they didn't try to kill each other, then it was alright. So that's why Sakura and Edward had gone all out.

While Haelth did have some advantages over Edward at some point, due to her lightning bolts on Edward's auto metal work. At least until he'd use his alchemy on the earth to fuse it on his auto metal. Then he'd make sure to make Haelth payback for every giggle she'd done when his hair stood up from her lightning strike.

Sakura was a _monster_ from beginning to end. She was fast, and her punches _hurt_. _A lot._ Luckily, Haelth had a high pain tolerance or else she would have been down for the count. Haelth could keep a distance from her and watch as Sakura and Edward duke it out on the battleground.

Haelth rubbed her swollen cheek, as she hid behind a rock. Haelth peeked around the rock to see what was happening on the battlefield. Haelth saw how Edward taunted Sakura into attacking him. Haelth couldn't make out what he'd said because she was further away, but whatever it was, Sakura's face had flushed red and she clenched her fists. She charged at Edward like a bull, but Edward rolled out the way. As he did that, Edward clapped his hand together and touched the ground. The ground rose up and Sakura flew across the air.

Haelth clenched her jaw then relaxed, and then let out a sigh. She was frustrated that she couldn't get a hit on any one of them and had to run and hide instead. As if sensing her frustration, the spirit appeared before her, rising from her shadow.

" ** _What are you doing?"_** The Stranger asked her. Haelth glanced over the spirit, before turning her attention back to the battle. Edward made a spear out of the earth with his alchemy and swung it at Sakura who ducked under it. Sakura took this chance to punch Edward in the chest, sending him flying. ** _"You know you're not going to beat them just by standing around."_** The spirit was telling her as she watched Sakura and Edward fighting.

Haelth turned to them with wide-eyed, "Did you see what they can do!?" She pointed at Edward who used his alchemy to make the earth soften up, that made Sakura start sinking and jumping in the air to kick her in the head. "I can't fight them! I could get killed!" Haelth exclaimed, while in the background Sakura grabbed Edward's leg and threw her away.

" ** _If you fight fairly then yeah...you'd probably die,"_** The Stranger replied with a straight face.

"Gee, thanks," Haelth rolled her eyes.

" ** _Well,"_** Haelth peeked up at the Stranger, tilting her head. **_"Yeah, it's true that there is no way you could beat them in a fair fight."_**

Haelth's left eyebrow twitched, "Then what do you want me to do? All I can do is wait and watch these two fight." She glared at the spirit who huffed at her response. The spirit raised one of their upper claw to stop Haelth from continuing her rant.

" ** _Unless,"_** The Stranger started and Haelth led in closer to them to listen, to what they had to say, **_"You have to cheat and attack the weaker one."_** Haelth frowned and was about to yell at the Stranger for suggesting such a stupid idea but they cut her off, **_"You have minor in the air element right?"_**

"Yes...but I'm not very good at it," Haelth answered, looking down. Most people in her world could make wings with their wind element and could fly even if it's for a short while. Haelth couldn't summon her wings no matter how many times her mother tried to train her. Even when throwing her off of a cliff at one time. "I can't use that element that well to fly."

The spirit turned their gaze back to the fight with Edward and Sakura. Edward threw a punch at Sakura who caught it and broke his arm armor by slamming her elbow into it. **_"You have to get rid of Edward because he's the one who's going to cause the most trouble for you."_**

Haelth raised an eyebrow after seeing Sakura breaking the ground, where she and Edward were standing on. He'd use the smoke cover to summon a fist of stone to throw Sakura into a tree.

"Should I take out Sakura first? I mean look at her," Haelth pointed at Sakura, who was picking up a tree and threw it at Edward, who got out of the way just in time, "I mean she's stronger than me and Edward."

" ** _She may be stronger, but Edward is the smarter one."_** The earth softened around Sakura like it was quicksand. Sakura tried to get to the hard ground and by the time she was almost there, the sand came up to her waist and then the ground hardened again. She looked up at Edward who was smirking down at her.

Haelth gulped, "This is still crazy, Stranger! I'm not sure if I could do it." She told them, looking down.

The spirit patted the girl on her head and Haelth looked up at the old spirit. Stranger's eyes were full of compassion, that Haelth had to smile back at them.

 ** _"Then give up and go home kid."_** The spirit told Haelth with a straight face. Haelth felt like she'd been punched in the gut. Her eyes widened in disbelief but then she bared her teeth in anger.

"I can't do that. Scott and Oliver are still missing, and we need to get back home!" Haelth yelled, not caring if Sakura or Edward heard her. "And you can't get your revenge without me. Y-you need me" Haelth breathed heavily, her pupil enlarged.

The spirit crossed their arms and gave her disappointed looked, **_"Kid, we're going up against powerful enemies and if you can't fight those two, then you might as well quit."_** Haelth was about to shout back at them, but Stranger cut her off, **_"I can find a new host and this group had already fought stronger opponents so they don't need you too."_** Haelth's face fell, **_"Unless you can prove yourself."_** Haelth looked at the Stranger and then looked at Sakura's and Edward's fight. Who was too busy fighting each other than looking back at Haelth.

With a gulp, she darted forward into an another bolder for cover and took a peek to make sure Sakura or Edward weren't looking at her direction. She redid this progress until she was close enough to Sakura's and Edward's fight so that she could make out the insults they were shouting at each other.

"You called that a throw Sakura? A little kid could have hit me harder."

"Well, funny you should be the one saying that Edward because you're as small as one."

"OH NO, YOU DIDN'T!" Edward threw himself at Sakura and that was when Haelth took her chance. She took a deep breath and blew out a huge gust of wind. This caused Edward to lose his balance and fell to the ground. Sakura, while surprised, took this chance to grab Edward's leg, lifting him in the air and then slamming him to the ground.

_Bam!_

Edward yelped in pain, but before he could do anything Sakura once again lifted him by his leg and slammed him down again.

_Bam!_

Black spots flickered in Edward's vision, but before he could recover Sakura picked him up again and this time she was throwing him at Haelth.

"Shit!" She'd run out of her hiding spot but Edward's body hit her from behind before she had a chance to search for a new hiding spot.

"Oof!" Haelth yelped, as she and Edward tumbled across the ground. Haelth's back hit a tree, knocking the wind out of her and with Edward's body on her the stomach. Haelth took deep breaths and pushed Edward off of her. She summoned her spear to hold herself up as her legs were shaking, only to be grabbed by the collar by Sakura.

Haelth clenched her teeth in pain, "Guess you caught me." Sakura's lips flicked upwards a bit.

"You should have stayed hidden while you can, or I wouldn't have found when I did. If you just found another hiding spot instead of watching me kick the shit out of Edward, then you might have lasted much longer." Sakura told her in a matter-of-fact tone of voice. Which made Haelth feeling stupid. Why did she do that?

"Welp, you can't say I didn't try," Haelth commented, "Oh wait! I didn't try my best _yet_." Sakura's eyes widened as she took a step back. But it was too late, as Haelth's hand jabbed Sakura in the stomach. Sakura fell down, her muscles sizing up the pain as electricity traveled throughout her body.

Haelth whistled, "I didn't mean to hurt you that _much_ , but I suppose it got the job done." She commented before looking down at Sakura. Haelth flinched at the sight of Sakura's twitching body. Haelth was thinking that Sakura would have cursed her out and at least glared at her, but she guessed that she was too paralyzed to even do that. No... wait she was still moving her eyes. Haelth noticed that Sakura was looking straight at her, which was a little creepy with her body twitching like that, but Sakura wasn't glaring at her. In fact, now that she was looking at the ninja right now her lips were curling up in _a smirk_.

This immediately set off red flags in Haelth's head. That was when she smelled something burning and heard a weird noise behind her. Haelth turned around and saw a burning sheet of paper that was sticking to the tree.

_Sssizzz!_

"What is th-" Haelth was cut off by paper exploding. The tree turned into a ball of fire splitters spraying in every direction.

_Boom!_

Haelth crossed her arms over her head to defend herself, but the force of the blast sent her flying into a tree, knocking her out and leaving her skin burned from the fire of the blast too.

_Crack!_

The spirit who was looking at the battle below them, flinched at the sight, **_"Well that went well,"_** The kids were knocked out and the forest was on fire, thanks to the explosion tag that Sakura put on a tree.

But Stranger didn't look all that concerned about that. **_"It went a lot better than the ones I had before."_** The Stranger chuckled to themselves as the memory came rushing back, **_"Oh~ Those were the days."_** They sighed wistfully.

Then they got up, " ** _Better get the kids up,"_** _Then_ there was another exploding sound in the background, **_"…and clean this mess up."_**

* * *

_Haelth's mind, Later_

After a while of fixing the damage that the kids have done and healing them, the whole group sat around a campfire. The trio felt like they fought an army of bears. Or at least that was how Edward felt like it. He glared at the two parties involved. Haelth was looking anywhere but him, while Sakura was looking right at him with a smug grin on her face. Edward would like nothing more, than wipe that grin off of her face, but the spirit told them to be civil to one and another.

"So, um…" Haelth was the first to break the silence, "Are you guys alright?" She asked them.

"Fine, as much as I can be," Edward growled under his breath.

"So, um..." Haelth paused thinking on what was she going to say, "What were your guys' worlds like?" She asked.

Edward raised an eyebrow, "What about your world?" Now that Edward was thinking about it, he hadn't known that much about Haelth's life. Makes sense; they only knew each other less than for a few days. But Spirit did say that if their bonds became stronger then so would their powers. Or at least that's what they said. So, he had to get to know not only her but Sakura as well. He looked over to Sakura who was telling Haelth about her homeworld. He'd known Sakura for months now, so their bond was pretty good as far as Edward could tell, but it still could be a little stronger. But he's wasn't that worried about too much, because the way things were going he was sure it would get better.

"So, what do you guys do?" Edward asked.

Both Sakura and Haelth stopped talking, "You mean what we do for a living?" Sakura asked.

"No, I'm asking you about your family; of course, I'm asking what you do for a living!" Edward exclaimed.

Sakura glared at him but before she could do anything, Haelth beat her to the punch, "I'm training to join the army, but that won't happen for three more years." She explained, raising an eyebrow at Edward. He was taken aback by this, she looked too young for someone training in the army?

"So, why did want to join?" He asked her. It was a simple question enough, but Haelth looked down and started sweating.

"Haelth?" Haelth flinched, looking up at Sakura who spoked, "Why did you join the army?" Haelth rubbed the back of her neck.

"It w-was because," Haelth took a deep breath, "I broke the law and the judge gave me a choice. To face exile, or to join the army." She told them.

Edward frowned, "What did you do?" He asked her. His body tensed up as if Haelth was about to bolt. He was ready to go after her.

Haelth was trying to make herself look smaller as she wished she could disappear. Edward and Sakura weren't giving her the chance to run away with this. They crossed their arms and glared at her. They needed to know the truth. If Haelth wanted to earn their trust, she needed to tell the truth.

Haelth was shaking as she held up one finger, breathing heavily, "Give me one moment," She took a deep breath and begun, "I did something, _stupid_. You see, my sister was coming back after doing a _Long Portal_ where our troops went outside of our border, to keep the monster from coming into our kingdom _._ She was suffering PTSD after the attack that left most of her squad dead." She remembered the trauma in her half-sister's eyes "No one explained to me what had happened to her, and they told me to stay away. But I couldn't. I saw my sister was upset and my 10-year old self-decided to do something about it." She let out a bitter laugh, "I tried to set her up a surprise party for her! My sister, who was suffering from PTSD! What a great idea my younger self-thought of," She shook her head, "I waited for my sister to go to the bar she always goes to, before I set up the party. When she first got in I let out some loud party strings. And as you could guess I triggered her and got beaten to near death by her." Haelth curled up to a ball, shaking. Edward flinched, and Sakura gasped.

Sakura sat down next to her and hugged Haelth, "I'm sorry you had to go through that." Edward felt awkward in this situation, but sat down next to her as well, and gave a pat to Haelth. After a while, Haelth calmed down and continued her story.

"I tried to protect myself, so I grabbed a knife to stab her." Both Sakura and Edward looked shocked by this, "She didn't die! I only stabbed her in the leg." She told them quickly when she's seen the expression on Edward's and Sakura's faces, "Anyhow, because we both got their way for my family to hide this from my police. So, I had to face a choice to choose between exile and face monsters that run through my homeworld without any help or to join the army. You can guess what I chose." Haelth finished her story.

The two were quiet for a moment and were playing with the cat ears on her hat looking between the both of them. Edward didn't know what to say at first, so he said the first thing that came to his mind.

"That's really …f*cked up." Edward said.

Sakura frowned at him but then turned to Haelth, "Did any of your family spoke up for you?"

Haelth shook her head, "No. In my world, parents have little authority over their children," She noticed the confused look on Edward's and Sakura's faces, so she started to explain, "In my world, we believe you should be only loyal to your country, not your family. In the past family, fends were so bad that we were killing more of our people than the monster that hunted us to this very day. So, our first General-King Cyclone made it the country have the best people at taking caring of children will raise them, not the parents. It's not unusual for a child to not be in content with their parents for most of their lives in my world. Even by law, we get to know our parent's names and our family's tree as soon as we ask for them or at the age of 15."

Edward found Haelth's world weird. He never heard a world where parents had no power over their children, but then again he didn't know about other world's laws or customs. While he and Alphonse were raised by Pinako after their mothers her death it was still strange to him.

"Your world sounds strange, in my world, we are taught the importance of upholding our family's honor," Sakura commented, earning herself a strange look from Haelth.

Edward rolled his eyes, "Sakura, why on earth do you think Haelth would understand family's honor when her planet didn't even have parents really raising them" Even he didn't fully get it but at least, he understood Haelth's confusion.

Sakura rubbed the back of her neck, "You're right, she probably isn't going to get it." Her face blushed a little in embarrassment.

Haelth shook her head stubbornly, "I understand it. But I don't understand like; what happens if a family member turned against your country? Would you be loyal to them or your home?" She pointed out.

Sakura paused and thought over how to answer Haelth's question.

"My sensei once told me that, 'those who break the law are trash but those who abandon their friends are worse than trash.'" Sakura told them.

Haelth furrowed her eyebrows, "I don't understand it, but I guess different worlds have different rules." Sakura gave her a flat look.

Before Sakura could, reply to Haelth stupid statement, the dream realm around them started to shake. Colors from Edward's eye seemed to blur together, his legs started to feel weak and his mouth felt dry. Edward fell to his knees and moaned in pain.

_Thump!_

_Thump!_

_Thump!_

Through Edward's blurry vision he could make out the forms of Sakura and Haelth falling.

"W-what's going o-on?!" Sakura cried out. Then Edward saw coming out from shadows in the area was the red-eyed spirit themselves.

" ** _One of you were waking up and caused the link to break up."_** They explained to them, calmly, **_"Don't worry! While this could hurt a little, you'll get used to it as time goes on."_**

That was the last thing Edward heard before everything went black and then he woke up.

* * *

_Hueco Mundo, Forest of Menos, Morning_

Crona was used to sleeping by herself and with the lights on. So, it should come to no shock that Crona felt scared when she had to sleep in the dark and was the first one to wake from Haelth's tossing and turning.

In a blind panic, she quickly got up and put her back against the wall so fast that you'de missed it if you blinked. When her eyes adjusted to the darkness around her and she could see that it Haelth was making woke her up, and not some enemy, here to attack them.

Crona took a deep breath. ' _Nothing is bad is happening to you. You're fine, you're fine, everything is fine.'_ Crona replayed those word over and over again in her head until she stopped shaking.

Haelth woke up in cold sweat. This caused Sora to wake up and Ashido (who heard something in caves where the kids were) to look at them confused while standing in the opening of the cavern.

After Haelth calmed herself down, Sora turned his attention over to Crona to make sure she was alright.

"Crona are you ok?" Sora asked her, raising a hand to touch her shoulder but stopped when Crona flinched. He quickly withdrew his hand.

"Sorry, Crona I didn't mean to scare you," Sora told her, smiling softly at her. Crona felt guilty about making Sora feel like he'd done something wrong. She straightened herself up and gave Sora a small smile even it was a little bit forced.

"It's o-ok Sora. You did nothing wrong." Crona told him. Sora frowned and opened his mouth to say something, but he never got the chance to.

"Hey! If you two are done flirting with each other over there," Ashido called out to the kids. Both Crona and Sora blushed and took a step away from each other, "Then you two could join us for breakfast." With that, he left the room with Haelth following close behind him, as active as ever. Leaving Sora and Crona calling out to them.

"That's not what happened Ashido!"

"I don't know how to deal with flirting!"

"Woah! Crona where are you going?"

"I'm going to the corner!"

It took a while for Sora to calm Crona dow. Then both him, and Crona walked down the hallway, into a big cavern. There, a lamp hung from the ceiling to give some light into the dark room, and there set a blanket for them to sit with some food in a basket in the middle of it. Both Haelth and Ashido were eating what looked like black meat...?

Sora sat down and grimaced as he looked up the meat. Crona, on the other hand, wasn't a picky eater, so she sat down next to Haelth and looked around for any forks or knives that could help her eat.

Ashido noticed this, "I don't have any forks or knives around. Resources are very limited down here." He explained, "Just use your hand for now." Crona nodded. She picked up the cooked meat, feeling the texture of weird meat made her want to turn away. But the numb pain in her stomach and the smell of cooked meat overpowered that feeling, and Crona started eating the meat at a fast pace. Crona blushed at her table matters but she looked around to see that everyone, but Ashido were eating fast.

"So," Ashido began and the trio looked up to him, "You kids going to tell me where you all came from?" Crona froze, it was a simple question sure, but Crona didn't know how to answer that. What could they say? That they all came from different worlds and they were here to stop a guy named Conner? He would look at them like they were crazy! Crona couldn't think of a good enough lie either. Not that she was good at lying anyway. Medusa made sure of that.

Crona looked around their little group to see what they thought. Haelth looked as uncertain as she was, and Sora closed his eyes and furrowed his eyebrows in deep thought.

"Well," Sora began, "I don't know where to start but we came from another world." Crona's jaws dropped, Haelth facepalmed and Ashido almost choked on his food.

"Another world, you say?" Ashido coughed, narrowing his eyes at the boy, "Do you mean the Human World or Soul Society?" He asked, surprising the trio. Ashido knew about other worlds? So maybe Sora telling the truth wasn't such a bad idea after all.

"Well no," Sora shook his head, "We each come from different worlds from this one and we got separated from our friends Sakura and Edward," Sora explain, Haelth and Crona nodded in the background.

Ashido raised an eyebrow, "I find that hard to believe." Crona flinched, she should know that it was too good to be true that Ashido believed them.

"What if I have proof?" Sora asked him.

"And how are you planning to do that?" He asked Sora who smirked back to responding.

"I could use my magic to summon a friend from another world! But we need to somewhere with more room." Crona tilted his head. Could Sora summon people from other worlds? She didn't know he could do that. Then again, she didn't know him or Haelth that well. Should she be making more of an effort to strengthen their bonds, or should she just go with the flow for now? Oh, why was this to happen to her? Maka was better at making friends than her. If only she were here she could give Crona the answer she wanted.

Crona snapped out of her thoughts when Haelth tipped her shoulder, "Crona we're heading out." She told her. Crona looked around to find Ashido leaving and Sora at the entrance of the cave waiting for the girls. Did she get so lost in her thought that she didn't notice?

Crona coughed, "Sorry about that. Let's go to umm?" Crona looked at Haelth with a questionable look on her face.

Haelth caught on to what Crona was asking, "Oh! Ashido said that above Forest of Menos is large enough for whatever Sora had planned to summon. He went ahead to see if it was ok to come out." Haelth explained to Crona.

"Oh, ok then, " Crona replied, getting up and walking over to Sora.

Haelth coughed, "I need to talk to you guys about something." Crona's and Sora's gaze turned to her.

Crona raised an eyebrow, "What is it?" She asked her. Crona used a soft tone but... were her eyes playing a trick on her? Because Crona thought she saw Haelth flinching at her? If she did, then Crona must have done something to scare her. And Crona wasn't sure it could deal with that right now.

"I know where Edward and Sakura are." She told them. Crona's and Sora's eyes widened in surprise. Crona didn't think that she would hear from them again!

"Are they alright? Are they in the same world we are?" Sora asked Haelth quickly, standing way too close for Haelth's comfort.

Haelth held up her hand to stop him, "They're fine! From what they told me, they're in the same world as we are but in a different part of it." Haelth answered Sora's questions.

Sora smiled, "I get it! It's because this world is split apart!" Both Haelth and Crona looked confused at Sora's claim.

"What are you talking about?" Haelth asked, tilting her head, "How can a world be split apart? That sounds like some sort of bad fantasy book."

Sora shook his head, "I know it's weird, but it happened to me before! Beside Ashido did say there were other worlds besides this one." He pointed out. Haelth furrowed her brow in deep thought.

"You do have a point," Crona commented, thinking back what Ashido said about the other worlds. He said they were called the Human World and Soul Society, right? She wondered what the worlds were like and which one did Sakura and Edward ended up in.

"Well even if this world is split into parts there must be a way to go where Sakura and Edward are. I mean, how does Ashido know about other worlds so he must know a way to get to them." Haelth told them. Crona folded her arms; could Ashido really help them? Sora seemed to think so because he was grinning and nodding to Haelth. So, if Sora thought it could be done then Crona believed it too. After all, he traveled to different worlds so Sora got to know what he was talking about.

"The coast is clear," Ashido told them scaring Crona a bit. The group left the cave after calming Crona down and followed Ashido. He leads them to one of the trees that were around the area.

"We have to climb this tree to reach the surface. Let me go first." Ashido took a huge leap that a normal human couldn't possibly do. He made it one of the higher up branches and continued moving upwards.

Sora followed Ashido shortly after by Haelth and then Crona. Crona had a harder time climbing the tree and was lucky, that both Sora and Haelth had stopped to help her when she was falling behind. But Crona waved them off. She wanted to get there by herself. To prove to herself that she could survive here.

When Ashido got off the ceiling and pulled out the sword from his sheath. With a quick swing, he broke through the ceiling of sand and Crona felt the moonlight on her face again. It was so bright that Crona closed her eyes and reopened them once her eyes adjust to the brightness. She could feel the cold air from the surface and Crona smiled a bit.

"Come on." Crona turned to Ashido as he leaped on the surface. Sora paused and waited for Haelth and Crona to jump on the same branch he was sitting on. The bench was strong enough to hold all their weight, which Crona got surprised at. But then again these were not like any tree that Crona knew back in her world.

"Are you ready guys?" Sora asked them. Both Crona and Haelth nodded in response. Sora smiled at them and then jumped to the surface.

Crona did notice that Haelth was sitting far away from her. _'Is Haelth scared of me?'_ Crona thought to herself. Haelth was acting strangely toward her lately. She made sure to put Crona in front of her when they traveled to the surface and flinched when she raised her hand. But even then Haelth always helped Crona when she was falling behind when climbing. So Crona wasn't sure.

But the question was, why? Why was Haelth scared of her? Crona tried to think back to everything that she did to Haelth but Crona couldn't remember anything. Crona felt a lump forming in her stomach. Stuck in a strange land with all kinds of monsters Crona needed all the allies she could get. And having one that was scared of her was not a good thing in her eyes.

Haelth turned to Crona, "After you Crona." She jumped to the surface and then looked around. And it was night time when they arrived just like when they first arrived. So Ashido was telling the truth. There was no daytime here.

"Oof!" Crona turned behind her and saw Haelth face plant to the ground. Both Crona and Sora ran back to help her up. As Crona grabbed Haelth's arm and lifted her up and Sora did the same on Haelth's other side.

Haelth called out, "I'm fine guys!" They let her go and Haelth got back up on her feet. After she dusted off the sand off of her clothes, Haelth looked around the area they were in.

"Look like Ashido was right about no sun here, Sora." She commented.

"Yeah, I owe him an apology," Sora rubbed the back of his head.

"You better," The trio jumped in surprise. They turned to see Ashido behind them and he returned a smirk at their reaction, "What? Didn't expect to see me around, here did you?" Crona was surprised by this side of Ashido but it was a welcome one in her opinion. He was scary to her.

"So," He turned to Sora who was taking in the attention, "How are you going to summon your friend here?"

"Oh!" Sora's lights lit up knowledge, "Give me some space ok?"

Ashido, Haelth, and Crona nodded and moved away from Sora to give him some room. Haelth sat down and Crona took a deep breath and she walked up to Haelth and sat next to her. They sat there, not saying anything to each other for a while and Crona was sweating nervously. Crona felt like they should talk, so she said the first thing that came to her mind, "So...um what do you think Sora is going to summon?" Crona asked her, then felt like smacking herself. _'That the best thing, I could come up with?'_ Crona scowled to herself.

Haelth didn't notice Crona's little freak and shrugged, "Who knows? People from my world can summon a creature from whatever gods they patron but I don't think Sora knows any gods from my world."

Crona peeked up at this, "Really?"

Haelth nodded, "Your world has witches too?" She asked her.

Crona nodded pushing back the memories of her mother, "There're some witches that can summon familiars or can transform into animals in my world. They can do other stuff too but often they are...not right in the head." She explained Haelth.

"Yes, we do but most of them like to be called mages." Crona tilted her head, "The term 'witches' is a bad word to call them." She explained to Crona noticing her questionable look. Suddenly the wind picked up and the two looked to where Sora was

The wind made Sora move but he didn't acknowledge that. His eyes were closed as his keyblade gathered magic. A magic circle appeared below him and the wind picked up even more. Then Sora's eyes opened up and the light had shot down on the magic circle. This caused blindly white light that caused everyone to shut their eyes and when they opened their eyes they were greeted by a sight of...

A baby deer.

All that talk and excitement and Sora only brought a baby deer...

Ashido let out a scowl and glanced at Sora. Crona was disappointed too but tried not to show it. She didn't want to hurt her friend's feelings as Ashido did. Haelth, on the other hand, looked happy at the summon.

Haelth squealed in delight, "It's so cute!"

The deer peeked up at Haelth's comment and to Crona's surprise, the deer opened up his muzzle and started to _speak_ , "U-um thank you miss!" The deer said, causing everyone but Sora to look at the deer in a surprise.

Crona jumped back, "Y-you can talk?" Crona asked the deer, her voice cracking a bit as fear began to grip her heart. This was not normal.

"Well, yeah!" Deer told her, "All the animals in my world can talk." He explained to Crona.

Crona tried not shrink back. Her hand twitched but she didn't call Ragnarok just yet. She closed her eyes and took a slow, deep breath. It was a trick that Marie taught her to calm down.

_Breath in and out…._

Crona felt her heart slow down. Yeah, she could do this! She had faced bigger and scarier threats before. A fawn won't be any problem. She opened her eyes, only to find the big brown eyes of the fawn looking right at her.

"Are you o-" Before the fawn could even finish his sentence, Crona summoned her sword, and was about to slice the fawn's head off. But luckily someone stopped her before she had the chance to do so.

"Crona, no!" Haelth tackled Crona before she could have brought the sword down. The fawn yelped and ran behind Sora. Crona tried to throw Haelth off of her but, the girl was stronger than what she looked like. Haelth put her knee on Crona's shoulders and grabbed her wrist to stop her from moving.

"Crona calm down!" Haelth cried out, and when she didn't, Haelth slapped her. That snapped Crona out of her panic. Crona felt like someone punched her in the stomach. She'd let her fear to blind her again and almost killed a baby deer in front of everyone! Even to the point where one of her allies had to force stop her. Crona couldn't move so she glared at Haelth only to find her looking at her, not with hate but fear. She looked to Sora and Ashido who had held out their weapons. The fawn hid behind Sora who looked scared. The looks snapped Crona out of her fear and she felt sick. The fawn was only a child that wanted to help her, and she tried to kill it. Because she was scared of it. Because she didn't understand it. If Maka and the others were here, they would be ashamed of her.

Crona tapped Haelth's back, "Um Haelth," Haelth looked down at her, "You can let go of me now. I... promise I won't hurt anyone." Crona told her. Haelth paused for a moment and Crona thought she wasn't going to let her go but then Haelth got off of her.

Crona stood up but didn't look anyone in the eye. She didn't want to face them. She wanted to bolt off and find someplace to hide. But she forced herself to stay, _'Don't be a coward,'_ Crona told herself, _'If you run away it's only going to be worse for you.'_ Crona's mouth felt dry but she forced herself to talk.

"I," She gulped, looking up and seeing Sora looking at her and she looked down again, "I'm s-sorry. I," Crona's eyes looked further down at her feet, "was scared." At first, everyone was silent, but then one of them came forward and Crona looked up at them.

"You were scared of me?" The deer questioned Crona. She flinched at the fawn and nodded.

"But," Crona turned to Haelth, who tilted her head in confusion, "I saw you disembowel a Hollow no problem! And you're scared of a fawn that's harmless?" She questioned her.

Crona sat down on the ground and covered her face with her hands. Now she feels lower than dirt.

When Crona did this Haelth began to panic and tried to comfort Crona, "Crona I didn't mean it like that! I just was wondering why were you so scared of a baby animal in the first place? It's not that scary or anything..." Crona hugged her knees and hide her face, "You know what? I'm going to shut up now." Haelth coughed, blushing. She tagged out and left Sora to comfort Crona.

Crona felt someone moving under her skin and knew Ragnarok was about to wake up. She tried to tell Ragnarok that this wasn't a good time for him to come in her mind, but Ragnarok never listened to her. Ragnarok busted through her back again catching everyone by surprise and Ashido grabbed his sword. He narrowed his eyes and but stopped when Sora rose his hand.

"Whazz?" Ragnarok grumbled. He rubbed his eyes then looked around noticing the others around them, "What happened? What's going on?" Ragnarok demanded to pull some of Crona's hair, causing her to yelp in pain.

"Ragnarok stop it!" Sora ran over and grabbed Ragnarok's wrist to stop him from hurting Crona.

"Bring on punk!" Ragnarok freed his hand and threw a punch at Sora's face. Sora's yelped snapped Crona back to reality and she grabbed Ragnarok's arm to stop him from hurting Sora.

"Stop Ragnarok!"

"When did you suddenly get this b**** Crona!" Everyone's face beside Ashido, who just looked confused, turned bright red after what Ragnarok had said. After calming down Ragnarok and Haelth explaining to Ashido about Ragnarok so he wouldn't try to kill him.

Crona took a deep breath, "I'm not used to talking animals and so I got spooked by it." Which was half-true, but Crona wasn't ready to talk about how she was raised to kill.

"Sorry Crona, I had no idea." Sora apologized, bowing his head deeply.

"Me too." Haelth apologized as well.

Crona smiled at both of them feeling a huge weight was lifted from her shoulders, "Thank you."

Haelth tilted her head, "For what?"

"For not throwing me away." She said, almost feeling like crying.

"Crona..." Both Sora and Haelth looked at her with sad expression from their eyes. Haelth took a step forward but Ashido cut the heartwarming scene off.

"We need to go back," Ashido spoke up suddenly, an alarming look on his face.

"Wha-" Haelth was about to ask Ashido but cut off by him pushing her back toward the hole they all came from.

Crona and Sora followed them with Sora called out to Ashido, "Ashido what's wrong?" He asked.

"With that light show and your kids making a fuss about the deer Hollow will take a notice." He explained before stopping when they arrived next to the hole, "We need to get back in the cave, get a few things and then _leave_."

"Leave? Leave where?" Haelth asked, biting her lip, and looking around in case any Hollows appeared.

"To one of my other hideouts. Now get down there and no more questions until we're safe!" He told her, nearly yelling at her. Haelth flinched but jumped down to get to Ashido's hideout. Sora nodded at the fawn then he disappeared in a light. Sora jumped with Crona behind him. When they got there, they found Haelth waiting for them near the tree. Ashido got there as soon as they did.

They walked back to the cave but before they got in, Ashido stopped them, "Wait, I'll go in first."

"Why? Is something wrong?" Sora raised an eyebrow.

"I need to check it's safe. Sometimes Hollows sneak into caves and try to ambush you." Ashido explained before going inside.

The trio waited outside for a while and Sora was the one to break the silence first, "We are making progress."

"Are we?" Crona raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

"Yeah, Sora, I don't think it went well," Haelth said in a deadpan tone.

"He didn't say that he didn't believe me," Sora replied, with a grin.

"He was just humoring you Sora," answered Haelth, smirking a bit. Sora made a face but smiled at her. They both laughed and Crona felt a little left out. But now that everyone was in a good mood, maybe this was the perfect time to ask Haelth what was her deal.

"Um, Haelth," Crona spoke up nervously, "Can I ask you about something?" Haelth turned towards her.

"Sure! What's up Crona?" Haelth turned to Crona. Wondering what she wanted with her.

Crona gulped, it was now or never, "Why are you sca-" Crona was cut off by Ashido walking back from the cave. Crona almost huffed furiously, she finally had the courage, and this happens? But her face turned to surprise and fear as the ground exploded right under Ashido's feet.

_Boom!_

Crona, Sora, and Haelth covered their faces to block the smoke and sand from their eyes and mouths. When the smoke cleaned up and the trio saw Ashido was in the pincers of an antlion-like Hollow.

"Ashido!" Sora cried out in concern and shock. He summoned his keyblade and ran toward the Hollow. It tried to move away with its prey, but Sora moved so fast that he looked like a blur to the Hollow. Crona summoned Ragnarok in his sword form and darted forward. Haelth ran behind them looking for a chance to get Ashido toward safety. The Hollow let out a growl of surprise and fear as Sora jumped on its back and cast blizzaga, which caused its neck to freeze over. Sora used a fast and flashy strike against the armor plates which after it shattered into pieces, causing the Hollow to roar in pain and let go of Ashido. Haelth caught him and moved him away from the Hollow before it noticed that its prey was gone. One the Hollow realized its mistake and tried to get Ashido back by darting forward toward Haelth. Haelth summoned her spear and at the tip of it, shot out a lightning bolt. It strikes the mouth of the Hollow which made it roar in pain as the electric move had surfed throughout its body.

Hollow shook its head to get out of its pain. Once it did it took it out on the closest one to it: Crona. Crona turned her body with the sword in hand to the Hollow and on the cross-ground of her sword where Ragnarok's mouth was, and he _screamed_. He screamed so loud that it sent the Hollow flying back.

_Thud!_

Before it could get up, Crona jumped on the Hollow's neck. With one quick swing from her sword, she removed the head of the Hollow. The Hollow's head fell to the ground, sending grains of sand flying upward in the air. Crona let out a sigh of relief as she thought it was over but saw the legs were still twitching. Crona's face curled up in disgust and fear. Why didn't it die? It didn't even have a head anymore! It should be dead! Crona yelped as she was thrown off the body as it darted forward.

It headed straight for Sora, who jumped over the Hollow. He started to attack the back of the Hollow with quick and strong attacks. The Hollow tried to get the keyblader off by quickly rising the front of its body, straightening up, but Sora held on tight with the teeth of his keyblade.

But that left it open for Crona to attack. Which she used when the Hollow showed it's underside when trying to get Sora off. Crona jumped into the air and stabbed the Hollow in the chest. The Hollow froze up and Crona dragged her sword downward which made a horrible ripping sound as she cut the Hollow from the chest to the stomach.

_Rip!_

_Sreeee!_

The Hollow roared in pain as Crona cut into it. Crona jumped away once she got to the bottom of the stomach and the Hollow gave a couple of twitches before collapsing. then started to disappear.

"Next time go for the mask," Ashido pointed out, causing Crona to jump and turn around. She saw that Haelth was helping Ashido stand up, and he was holding the wound tightly around his stomach. While he said that in his usually gruff and annoyed voice, he was smiling at her despite that. Even if it's a small thing, it that made Crona feel a little bit more at ease.

"Ashido! Are you ok?" Sora asked him, as he ran to Ashido's side.

Ashido held up his hand to stop Sora from helping him, "I'm fine. The wound isn't that deep." He told him, wincing a bit, "Get some of the supplies in the cave and let's get out of here." He ordered the trio before any of them stepped in to help them.

Haelth frowned, "Wouldn't it be better to treat those wound first? I mean, they look pretty bad." She pointed out.

Ashido messaged his temples, "All the more reason to leave! If one Hollow found this hideout, then others would be sure to follow! Once we save then I treat my wounds. But right now, we need to get out of here!" He told them to push Haelth away and limped toward the cave.

"I'm afraid it's already too late for that Ashido." A voice called out, dripping with hate.

Out from the shadows, a pack of Hollows appeared and the one who spoke was a large jackal-like dog, towering above all the other Hollows. He was covered from nose to tail with a bone-like armor on. Oddly enough, that one of his back legs were twisted but even then he still held his head up. His lips were curled up in a snarl and his glare never turned away from Ashido.

The one the left on the dog Hollow was a humanoid shark. He was covered in ice-like armor and the ice form horn on the nose which looks like it could run through Crona. He laughed evilly, as he eyed the group.

The one on the right looked like a wolf that came from hell itself. He was a black-red color with darker red like-veins glowing from his neck. The two fangs both of his upper and lower lip were long and strong enough to break down any bone, and his paws had two sets of claws on each of them, which looked like they could cut through anything. He watched with his pupil-less eyes as if a predator were watching their prey

"You son of a bitch Ashido! We finally caught you!" The jackal-like Hollow snarled. Crona held up her sword in front of her and watched the pack warily. Sora and Haelth did the same thing while Ashido glared at the Hollows with a confused expression while holding the wound on his stomach so he wouldn't bleed out.

"...Who are you?" Ashido asked and everyone including the Hollows fell down in a comedy fashion.

The dog Hollow looked at Ashido in disbelief, "What do you mean, you have no idea who I'm am?! I'm Nicolas! The Hollow that almost killed you!" The Hollow yelled at Ashido, his ears flat against his skull.

Ashido shrugged, "There were a lot of Hollows that almost got me. That doesn't help me much."

Nicolas glared at Ashido and was getting ready to attack, but the shark Hollow stopped him, "Nicolas, don't let that soul reaper get to you. The poison is already in his system, so we better take our time with him ripping him apart." The shark Hollow told Nicolas just as if they were talking about the weather.

As soon as the Hollow said poison, the group widened their eyes in horror. Ashido looked down at his wound and noticed the weird purple color around the area of the wound. That's when his muscle sized up and Ashido fell down, gasping in pain. He tried to stand up only to fall down again.

"Don't worry the poison won't kill you; it's just going to paralyze you. Sit back and relax as we rip apart each and every one of you, one by one." The nightmare wolf chirped with glee.

"As for your friends here," Nicolas waved a paw over to the trio, "They'd make a good snack for the pack here." The said pack let out gleeful yells while eyeing the trio hungrily.

Crona gulped but drew her sword, standing her ground. The pack drew closer to the group and of course, Ragnarok chose this moment to scream at them, "You punks want to try to eat _me_? Ha! I'll kill you all before you'd even get the chance. You bastards!" This caused the Hollows to stop at the advance and glanced at Crona's sword in surprise.

"The hell-" Before one the Hollows could finish its sentence a bolt of lightning hit it square in the chest, sending it flying. The Hollow fell right into its fellow Hollows, knocking them down at the floor. Crona looked where the lightning bolt originally came from and saw that Haelth's eyes were widened in surprise as her spear was still smoking from the shot she made. Haelth snapped out of her shock when she noticed that everyone was staring at her.

"I didn't mean...um," Haelth straightened herself up, "I didn't think I put _that_ much power into it. But I guess that training is starting to pay off." Before Crona could have asked her what she meant by that, a Hollow took this chance to pounce on Haelth and pinned her to the ground. Haelth had enough common sense to raise her spear up to defend herself before the Hollow tried to chop her face off. The Hollow tried to twist it's head side to side to get Haelth to loosen her grip on the spear, but Haelth held on.

She turned to Crona and Sora yelled at them in panic, "HELP!" Like dam break; all hell broke loose.

The pack Hollow charged at the group. Crona threw them back using _Screeching Gamera._ This caused the blade of her sword growing in width, length, and depth, and a purple area shot out and knocked all the Hollow back, cutting them in the process. Some of which lost limbs or heads in the attack.

One Hollow circled around and attacked Crona from the back. It scratched Crona's back but her blood protected her from any serious damage. Before the Hollow could correct their mistake, Crona had beaten it to the punch.

_Slice!_

_Thump!_

The Hollow's head rolled on the ground.

Crona took this chance to look around the battlefield. She saw Haelth blast a group of Hollow away with another bolt of lightning, and she darted away from them before they could have caught her. Haelth moved around the battlefield, stabbing at anyone that got too close to her and fired lightning bolts at a group this way she wouldn't be ganged up by the Hollows by keeping her distance from them. She even killed some of the Hollows with her hit-and-run technique.

Crona's eyes widened with worry when she'd seen Sora. Sora was fighting all three of the leaders at once while defending Ashido. The shark Hollow bloated it stomachs out until it was hopping around trying to squish the boy. Sora countered this by moving fast and aimed fire spells at the head of the Hollow, because anywhere else didn't make him flinch.

But the nightmare wolf Hollow proved to be a problem for Sora. His claws were not for show. Every time he hit Sora, it caused a lot of bleeding. If Sora didn't have any healing spells or potions, then he would have died from blood loss a long time ago. He watches the Hollow closely and moved to hit in the sides when the wolf tried to claw him.

To make the matters worse, Nicolas kept trying to get to Ashido while the other two Hollow were keeping Sora busy. Sora kept on stopping Nicolas from killing Ashido but that left him wide open for the other two Hollows.

Crona bolted and pushed away Sora before the nightmare hound's claw sank down on him. But the Hollow got her instead. The claws tore through her skin but luckily for her, the black blood stopped the claws from causing more damage. But the force of the attack knocked her backward into Sora. Some the black blood that spilled from her form into the needle and flew towards wolf Hollow in a fast pace. The Hollow tried to move away but it was too late...The wolf has been stabbed with all the _Bloody Needles_.

"Crona are you ok?" Sora asked her, helping Crona up.

Crona flinched in pain but forced herself to lie, "I'm fine." Sora frowned and Crona flinched; he saw right through her lies.

"Cure!" Sudden Crona's wounds started to heal right before her eyes faster then she could have done with her black blood.

Before Crona could say thank you to Sora, he'd dragged her away before the shark Hollow could squish them. Crona yelped in shock and coughed when some of the dust flew into her mouth. The Hollow lost turned back into its skinnier self and started sucking in air to bloat itself up again. Only for Sora, had used this chance to use his fire magic to shoot it down the Hollow's throat. The Hollow stopped and started coughing uncontrollably as the fire burned inside him. It tried to spit out the fire. But out of nowhere, Haelth jumped on top of the Hollow's head, stunning it. Haelth jumped to the ground, running away before Crona or Sora could question her. The pack of Hollow ran over the shark Hollow to chase after Haelth.

The trio looked at this display in confusing and shock but it was Ragnarok who broke the silence, "...The hell?"

Crona noticed out of the corner of her eye that Nicolas was darting toward Ashido. Crona stopped Nicolas before he could reach the soul reaper. She swung for Nicolas's head but he pulled himself back before the blade made contact. But the blade did scratch his nose which made Nicolas's flinch. He glared at Crona but turned his gaze at Ashido.

"Letting a _female_ defend you? You're a disgrace, Ashido!" He spat. If Ashido's looks could kill then he'd be buried six feet under. Then Nicolas chuckled, "How the mighty have fallen."

Ashido glared at Nicholas and then he turned to Crona, "Crona get out of here." He told her, trying to get up but his body rejected him to do so.

Crona shook her head, not taking her eyes off Nicholas, "I won't leave you!"

"Go! You and your friend can poss-" Ashido barked before someone stopped his line of thinking.

"TAKE THIS!" Sora shouted. Nicholas and the three turned to see what was going on. Haelth was behind Sora when he jumped into in the air, with white energy gathered around his keyblade. When he slammed it to the ground the white extended outward, and cut to the Hollow in a flash so bright, that everyone had to cover their eyes. When they opened them again the Hollows that surrounded both Haelth and Sora, all disappeared except for the shark one, who was on his last legs.

"Damn you…" The Hollow growled before disappearing into black smoke.

Haelth looked at the spot where the Hollow was just a few seconds ago and commented, "That...was the coolest thing I have ever seen in my life."

Crona used this chance to attack Nicholas. With a quick swing of her sword, she tried to cut the Hollow's head off. The keyword here was _tried._ Nicholas had seen Crona's sword coming for his neck out of the corner of his eye and quickly moved back. But not fast enough. The sword had cut deep into the Hollow's throat, spilling blood on Crona's head and Nicholas's chest.

Nicholas gasped in pain and tried to stop the blood by putting pressure on it. But it kept on flowing out like a waterfall, and Nicholas knew that this was it. He was going to die. Not in the hands of an another Hollow, or even a soul reaper. But by a freak of a human. Nicholas looked down at his reflection in the growing and deepening pool of blood on the ground. What he'd seen was a Hollow, that looked old and tired. And the thought of just lying there finally resting was tempting, to say the least.

He looked at Ashido and the anger had risen once again in his eyes. Why should that soul reaper get to live if he can't? The one who took away his dream of being a Vasto Lorde. The one who had killed other countless Hollows. Why should he get to live, and he didn't? With newfound strength, Nicholas got up, and pushed Crona aside and leaped at Ashido. He felt a smug satisfaction as he saw Ashido's shock on his face. He finally killed that son of a bitch, that ruined his life!

Suddenly Nicholas felt something hit him in his back that threw him off the coast. He landed on his side a few feet away from Ashido. He tried to get up but his body he couldn't move. He couldn't feel his lower body and while his vision was blurring, he was sure he was standing in his own pool of blood. The blood loss started to kick in. Darkness was taking over his vision and he couldn't find any strength left inside him to continue fighting.

' _It was all for nothing,'_ Were the last thoughts of Nicholas as he died.

Crona softened her black blood until it fell to the ground. She just got to the Hollow in time before he got to Ashido. With a great feeling of strength, she cut Nicholas almost in half(from the middle of the back to the stomach) and sent him flying. She turned to the remaining Hollows and glared at them. The Hollows looked at her then at Sora and Haelth who were both ready to go another round and froze in fear

"Retreat!" Shouted the last remained leader of the Hollow pack, after seeing Nicholas's body disappear. With that, the pack retreated with that nightmare wolf Hollow leading them away.

The trio didn't let their eyes off of them until the last Hollow disappeared into the forest. Crona let out a sigh and walked back where the others were. Sora put Ashido's arm around his shoulders to help him stand up. Haelth went back in the cave and got some supplies for Ashido's wound.

"I'm guessing you have some questions for us?" Sora laughed nervously and Crona almost felt like facepalming herself after Sora said that.

But Ashido smiles back at him, "Yes, but after we go to a safer location."

* * *

_Hueco Mundo, Forest of Menos, Afternoon(?)_

Sora, Crona, and Haelth sat around the new campsite which was inside one of those large trees in the Menos Forest. All their camping supplies were in the back and Ashido slept a little away from them. At first, he didn't want to sleep and wanted to take the first watch shift. But even with Sora's magic Ashido was still sore from the poison. So, after a long talking it out with the trio they convinced Ashido that he should get some rest.

Haelth looked tired but stayed awake to explain where Sakura and Edward were. Sora was worry about the others but was happy to know that they were alright. Better yet, they could still keep tabs with each other due to Haelth's mind being linked to Sakura's and Edward's.

Crona turned to Haelth and asked, "Um...Haelth?"

Haelth looked up at Crona, "What is it?" She asked her.

Crona shifted in her seat, "I umm…," Sora and Haelth waited patiently for Crona to say something, but she looked down and said, "You know what? Nevermind. Can I ask you about it tomorrow?"

Haelth raised an eyebrow at Crona's actions but then shrugged it off, "If you're sure about it Crona."

"Crona," Crona snapped her attention back at Sora, "Why did you try to kill Bambi?" Crona froze and she looked down, "I know you were scared, but trying to kill Bambi is going too far!" Sora almost shouted that last part. But who could blame him? His friend almost died!

But when Sora'd seen Crona cowering before him he backed off a little, "I mean just," Sora paused for a moment, trying to find the right words, "Crona just...try not to do that again ok?" He asked her, softening his tone.

Crona nodded and then Ragnarok busted out from Crona's back, yelling at Sora, "Don't tell us what to do spiky bastard!" Crona panicked and tried to stop Ragnarok from doing anything else by coving his 'mouth'.

Sora's face turned bright red, "What the heck Ragnarok! That was uncalled for!"

That only seemed to make Ragnarok mad, "What did I say you id-" Crona finally had enough, and punched Ragnarok's chin. Ragnarok yelped more in shock then in pain and for once was quiet for a few minutes as if he was processing what happened. Then Ragnarok glared at Crona and started to pull her hair.

"Ragnarok stop!" Crona shouted.

"Now you think you can give **me** orders, now Crona? Well, take this you b*tch!" Ragnarok's fist rubbed against Crona's head hard. Both Sora and Haelth grabbed Ragnarok's arms to stop him from hurting Crona more. Ragnarok could only curse them out as he couldn't hit them anymore.

All of a sudden, Haelth's shadow rose up from the ground and formed into the spirit, **_"Era uoy syug enod tey?"_** Everyone jumped and turned to the spirit in surprise.

"Spirit?" Sora raises an eyebrow, "Where have you been?" He asked them.

Haelth turned to the spirit with an annoyed expression on her face, "Yeah, where you all this whole time? We could have used your help." She scolded the spirit.

The spirit rolled their eyes and hit the back of Haelth's head with their hand, **_"Taht saw esuaceb gniog pu tsniaga tirips taht tae rehto stirips si ton a doog aedi."_**

Haelth rubbed the back of her head, "I guess you right."

Sora couldn't understand the spirit, so he turned to Haelth, "Hey Haelth," Haelth looked at Sora with a curious look in her eyes, "What is…" He looked at the spirit who rose an 'eyebrow' at Sora. He didn't know what to call them.

Catching on, Haelth told him this, "They don't have a name. So, you call them whatever you want. I call them Stranger for now." She explained while Stranger rolled their eyes. Sora thought the name was kind of weird, but if the spirit didn't really care then he supposed it was ok. Plus, in Sora's option, it was a good match for the spirit for now at less.

"What was Stranger was saying to you?" He asked her.

"Oh!" Haelth's eyes lit up, "They said that they didn't appear because Hollow would try to eat them because they eat spirit and all. So that's why they weren't around." She explained.

"I see," Sora nodded, then the sudden got an idea. He needed to keep taps on Edward and Sakura, and while he trusted Haelth it didn't feel right left out of the loop. Years being separated from your friends will do that to you. So, he made a choice that would change his life.

"Stranger," Stranger, Haelth, and Crona turned to Sora who spoke up, "Can I make a pact with you?" Crona fell down in surprise, Haelth jumped up in alarm, and Stranger just tilted their head. The spirit pulled aside Haelth and whispered into her ear. Sora couldn't hear what they were saying but what the spirit said Haelth agreed with it.

"Sure, but why do you want to make a pact with them?" Haelth asked Sora, "They said that as keyblader you don't have the same problem as me, Sakura, and Edward have with our powers. Your power comes from your weapon, so you don't need Stranger's skill to yours back." She explained to him.

Sora paused for a moment while Stranger crossed their arms and gave him a look that screams 'you better have a good answer'.

Sora is the type of person that said what comes into his heart. So, it should come to no surprise to anyone that knew him that his answer was this: "Because I care about Sakura and Edward and I wanted to help them in any way I can," He answered the spirit, truthfully.

The spirit nodded, seeming satisfied with Sora's answer. But Crona looked nervous, her eyes darting between him and the spirit. She raised her hand and let an 'umm' sound to get everyone's attention.

"What's up Crona?" Sora turned to the young girl.

"I don't think this is a good idea Sora," Crona commented, before shrinking back when Haelth and Stranger turned their gazes to her.

"Crona why do you think that Sora shouldn't make a pact?" Haelth asked Crona. Crona in reply looked away from her and Haelth looked away too, nervously, "Sorry if I made you uncomfortable." She said to her.

"I-it's ok I was out of line," Crona strummed, "Anyhow I'm heading to bed. Goodnight!" Before Haelth could stop her, Crona already got into a sleep roll and closed her eyes.

Sora looked between the two, wondering what happened between them? He thought that Haelth and Crona got along fine, but now after they got into this forest they were afraid of each other.

"Haelth what's going on? Did you and Crona get into a fight or something?" Sora asked her, as Crona wasn't going to talk. Haelth flinched but turned to Sora to answer him.

"There's,' Haelth looked at Crona who looked away, "Nothing wrong." She answered. Sora raised his eyebrow and then looked at Crona. Crona didn't say anything but looked like she wanted to, but she backed down. Sora wanted to demand a real answer but thought better of it. If they didn't want to talk when he couldn't force it out of them.

" ** _Os touba eht tcap."_** Everyone turned their attention back to the spirit. Stranger bit down on their risk until they bleed. The blood wasn't red like his or Haelth's blood, but it was black like Crona's. Sora didn't think that spirits could bleed but not again he hasn't met other spirits like Stranger before.

" ** _Knird siht dna eht tcap lliw eb etelpmoc."_** Of course, Sora didn't understand what the spirit was telling him so Haelth had to translate for him. Which left him feeling grossed out, but he had to do it.

Sora took a deep breath, "Ok, I'll do it." The spirit nodded and held their 'bleeding' risk to him. Sora cupped his hands together and got a fair amount of 'blood' in his hand. It felt unusually cold and it smelt like dead fish. Sora crinkled his nose and he pulled his face away from the 'blood'.

"This smell so bad!" Sora exclaimed which caused Stranger to glare in annoyance at his outburst.

"Sakura or Edward didn't say anything about that," Haelth commented and Stranger glared at her. Haelth looked away.

The spirit smacked Haelth behind the head again. "Ow!" Haelth yelped, rubbing the spot where Stranger hit her.

" ** _Tusj knird ti,"_** The spirit growled at Sora. Sora didn't need Haelth translation what the spirit wanted him to do. Sora took a deep breath and drank the 'blood.' While he tried to not taste the cold, smelly liquid, he could still feel the 'blood' going down his throat. It was like swallowing ice. Sora almost threw up but forced himself not to.

"I", Sora coughed, "I did it…" Sora panted, but then looked at his body confused, "I don't feel any different." True, he still didn't feel the unlimited energy he felt when he got his Drive forms or cold darkness in Anti-Form. Did he do something wrong?

But his doubts were put to rest when Stranger smiled at him and hold out their hand, **_"Welcome to the team Sora."_** Dumbstruck by the fact he could understand what the spirit was saying, Sora shook their hand.

Crona looked at the exchange worriedly.

* * *

_Karakura Town, Urahara's shop, Night_

The shopkeeper was sipping his tea in deep thought. At first glance, you may have not paid too much attention to this man. Unless you needed something from his shop or think that this man really needs a haircut. But this man was Urahara. A man with a plan that pissed off most of his friends and allies. He was tall, lean-built with light skin and grey eyes. His hair was messy which also went to the side of his face. The man wore a dark coat, which sports a white diamond pattern along its bottom half, with a green shirt and pants underneath, his hat which was a striped dark green and white bucket hat was causing a shadow over his eyes.

"Um…" A soft-spoken called across the table where Urahara's guest was. Strangely enough, the other voice was young but echoed a bit.

Urahara quickly gave his guest a good, natural smile, "Did you say something?" The guest nodded, "Sorry about that!" The man grinned in an easy-going way, "Just have a lot of my mind here after the ball you drop on me! "The other shifted around in their sent.

"But then again it's not every day you hear someone from another world." Urahara sipped some of his tea then put the cup down at the table.

"So how did you come into to this world…" Urahara trailed off as he didn't know the other's name.

The other caught on this, "Oh I'm sorry!" The 'click' of armor was heard as the other straight himself out, "My name is Alphonse. Alphonse Elric."

_To be continued…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time- Edward and Sakura meet some strange new people.
> 
> And that's it for this chapter. Hopefully next won't take so long. *laugh nervously* But the fight scenes were the ones that took so long and the Crona's mental breakdown. As I'm used to writing those things but the only way you going to get better is practice! And hopefully, I didn't do that bad of a job.


End file.
